Pleasure and Pain
by mcangel1976
Summary: Haruhi and Hikaru are now divorced, and to say things are a little strained is the year's biggest understatement. Now she's slept with Chika after Hunny's wedding, and left him before he woke up the next morning. Everything else seems almost out of control. What else is going to happen in her life? Will she find someone who will love her and only her?
1. A Wedding, A Mistake

**Disclaimer: As you all know, regardless of what I have dreamed and prayed for, I do not own Ouran High School Host Club or its characters; however, for everyone's enjoyment, I will continue to use them in my fanfictions. I'm sure you don't mind.**

 **A/N: So many new stories being written! This will be the last Ouran story until I wrap up some of the others I started, and this also makes it the fourth new Ouran story in a little more than a week. This will be my first M rated story, and based on the response I received from mtnikolle, Chika/Haruhi will be my first pairing in the M category. Thanks to Crazykitcat for encouraging me to write more M rated stories after reading my first M story in the Twilight genre. I hope all of you like it, and let me apologize now, you might not be so happy with Hikaru in the beginning. Sorry.**

Chapter 1 – A Wedding, A mistake

Life did not turn out the way Haruhi had planned, and she even considered not coming today, but she knew she had to. Hunny was still one of her closest friends, and this was his special day. She would not do anything to ruin it…she hoped.

It's funny. A year and a half ago, fresh out of college and studying for her bar exam, she married Hikaru Hitachiin, and she was happy. They had dated off and on during their third year at Ouran, and then got more serious during their second year in college, and when he finally popped the question, she quickly agreed. Sure he was still close to his twin, she figured they would always be close, and she understood she would probably see Kaoru more than the average brother-in-law. It was to be expected. As it was, there were time Kaoru came on their dates with them, and while she might not have liked it most of the time, Hikaru and Kaoru were special and had a harder time than most letting go. She thought it would be better after they got married. She realized now, she had been utterly delusional.

Her marriage started out all right. It wasn't perfect by any means, but when you first start living together with someone and just get married, anything is rarely perfect. Sure she had spent the night with him here and there at the apartment he shared with Kaoru, but her father had forbid her from living together with a boy before they were married. It was fine. She understood and adapted, and Hikaru seemed to have little problem with that stipulation; and thus, their lives together really did not begin until they both said, "I do."

And the moment they spoke those vows, their relationship started to fall apart. The sex was amazing. After they got married, it was like he ramped up his skill, making her feel things she never had before when they had sex. She wasn't sure what the difference or change was, but she liked it. Their first two months as man and wife, they were insatiable doing it whenever and wherever they wanted. The hall, the living room…anywhere. In fact, after they got back from a month long honeymoon, they declined hiring servants so they could have their house to themselves…to christen it so to speak. Haruhi was always hot and ready for him, which was probably a good thing since there were times he would throw her against the wall, release himself from his pants, and thrust into her without warning bringing them both to pleasure with the hard carnal way he made love to her. Those times excited her the most.

Over their honeymoon, he still talked to Kaoru at least once a day, and after they got back, it grew to at least twice a day if they didn't see each other. At first, the younger twin only visited once every 3-4 days, and then 2-3, and then every other day. After two months of marriage, Kaoru was over every day. That was fine with Haruhi. The twins were close and Hikaru needed his brother. That isn't what bothered her; it was something else entirely (sort of). After a while of the younger twin visiting every day, Hikaru started to invite his brother to spend the night periodically, and those invitations started to become more frequent. At first, she tried not to let it bother her when her husband did not come to bed at all on some of those nights, but again, her alone time in bed had started to increase. The straw the broke the camel's back so to speak is when she tried to say something to Hikaru about it and they argued. After the argument, in her mind, they talked and made up. Kissing and apologizing to each other, but that night, Hikaru asked Kaoru to sleep in their bed with them. Not for any funny business, but because apparently he wanted his twin close. Haruhi couldn't take it any longer and slept in a guest room that night. Did Hikaru come after her? No. The next morning he told her she had behaved like a child.

She was done. Instead of fighting about this any longer, instead of feeling like a third wheel in her own marriage, she left. After one year of marriage, it was over. The divorce had been quiet and easy, and she and Hikaru were no more. Not even her friendship with the twins had survived. Maybe she should have talked to Kaoru when things started to go south, but she didn't. Hindsight was 20/20.

And now, she sat on the groom's side of the church as Hunny spoke his own vows to Reiko, wishing them better luck with their marriage than she had in her own. He only had his brother, Mori, and Satoshi standing up with him. The other hosts were dispersed in the crowd, and that included Hikaru and Kaoru, who when she saw them upon entering the church, had turned their noses up and their backs to her, giving her the snub they believed she deserved. Had she been so wrong in her feelings on the matter? She didn't think so, however, even amongst her friends, she's the one that sometimes felt like the outsider.

There were moments after she got ready today, when she almost turned back to go home because she knew full well how Hikaru and Kaoru would treat her. The others seemed to try and keep from picking sides and she had maintained her friendship with Kyoya, Hunny, Mori, Tamaki, Satoshi, and Chika; and yet, she could also feel the slight strain, the heavy atmosphere, when she was with the hosts that had chosen to remain her friends. So, it wasn't all that shocking to believe she kind of didn't want to be here for this wedding, didn't want to see Hikaru, and she didn't want to cause an unsettling feeling for Hunny and his bride on this momentous day.

That all being said, she came because Chika had guilted her into it. The day before she had picked up the present she had ordered for the bride and groom, and ran into Hunny's younger brother. Believing this to be fate and perfect timing, she tried to hand over the gift to him so he could deliver it for her, but he refused telling her, "You know, my brother is going to be sad and disappointed if you don't come. I know it isn't easy to be around the twins right now, but this isn't about them or you, it's about Mitsukuni. He loves you and you're one of his best friends. Do you really want to hurt him by giving into fear and pressure from those idiots? Or are you better than that? And if it really bugs you, just hang out with Satoshi and me the whole night. We'll protect you and make sure you have a good time." He swayed her. Of course it helped that he was right and she knew it.

Ergo, here she was sitting listening to her friend recite his vows while she felt like she wanted to crawl under a rock. How exactly were Chika and Satoshi supposed to protect her if they were up there and she was in the audience? Shaking it off, she would just get through this, go to the reception, have one glass of wine, say congrats to the happy couple, and be back home in an hour…two tops.

Why didn't anything she planned work out the way she wanted? Somehow one glass of wine turned into five and she was currently spinning around the dance floor with Chika. She had been at the reception for a few hours now, and while Hikaru and Kaoru kept giving her seething looks, she somehow was having fun. Fun she hadn't had in a while. When she had arrived at the reception, she had tried to blend into the table, sitting at her assigned seat and not talking to anyone, but the twins had found her and approached her.

Hikaru said, "What's a commoner like you doing here amongst the elite. You don't deserve to be here."

Kaoru added, "She's probably here to get another rich husband so she can divorce him and make his life miserable too."

Laughing, his brother told him, "Nah. Nobody would want her. She's used goods. Hell, she wasn't even worth marrying the first time. I was only playing with a toy after all."

It hurt. More than the sneers and death glares, this cut right to the very heart of her. She wanted to cry, but she dare not give them the satisfaction. Her nails cut into the palms of her hands, she bit the inside of her mouth, and she bowed her head. She didn't even want them to see how her eyes burned and filled with tears. They may be filled, but she refused to let one drop fall. It would not happen.

"The difference between you and others, some of us know how to treat a lady. Her birth class does not mean she is not a lady," Chika snapped from behind the twins.

To his right, his best friend shook his head in disgust, "No, the difference between them and others, they don't deserve to breathe the same air as her. She's better than them, and the only reason the Morinozuka and Haninozuka are still associated with the Hitachiin family is because we don't hold the sins of the sons against the parents. I can't guaranty anything in the future though."

"How dare you?!" The twins seethed simultaneously.

"We dare because we can. Back off away from her, never talk to her again, and leave her alone before I make you," Chika threatened.

"So now she's moved on to you?" Hikaru chuckled derisively.

Shaking his head, Chika announced, "No, my parents have arranged a marriage with someone else, however, she is still a friend of mine and my family, and I at least know how to treat a friend and lady."

Hikaru and Kaoru could see they were getting in well over their heads, especially when they saw Mori start to approach. In the end, they walked away without another word. Out of all their friends, the Haninozuka's and Morinozuka's were the four that remained steadfast in Haruhi's defense, and that pissed Hikaru off more than anything. As peers and friends, they should have picked his side, and they didn't.

After they left, Satoshi sat on one side of her and Chika on the other becoming her guards for the night. They also derailed her plan of leaving early. They refused to let her leave, giving her glass of wine after glass of wine, and then pulling her on the dance floor after it had opened up, taking turns spinning her around since neither had come with a date. Chika had yet to meet his fiancée, and Satoshi's girlfriend had come down with the stomach flu. She never thought she would actually have fun tonight, but she was, and she owed it all to her two heroes.

Maybe it was after the tenth or eleventh glass of wine, when the party was winding down, she danced one last dance with Chika. They were both toasty from the alcohol and feeling good. The dance was a slow one, and his face started getting closer. Her eyes naturally closed on their own and the feeling of his lips pressing against hers made her mouth automatically open of its own accord.

She wasn't sure how it happened, but the next thing she knew, they were in a hotel room upstairs from the reception room ripping each other's clothes off. How long had it been since she felt this kind of need and desire, and she wasn't even sure why. Maybe it was the alcohol. Sure Chika had always been cute, but not to this point, after all, he was Hunny's little brother. The only excuse she had was the alcohol and that it had been almost a year since she had sex because even before she ended the marriage, they had stopped pleasuring each other.

Pushing aside any thoughts of her ex-husband, forgetting for the time being that Chika had a fiancée, she relished in his touch. Her fingers pushed the shirt off his shoulders and the taught muscles she felt at those very tips made her core ache and she wanted him. Her finger nail flicked over a nipple and she heard him suck in his breath at the same time he was kissing her neck and reaching around to unzip her dress. Next, her hands reached for his belt and slid it off with ease before undoing the button and zipper to his trousers. As his pants fell to pool at his feet, her hand dove into the waistband of his boxers and grabbed his manhood. He was thicker and longer than Hikaru, and it pulsed in her hand.

Chika couldn't think. Haruhi was torturing him. Never had he ever looked at her in a sexual way. She was nothing more than his brother's friend, but tonight after all the alcohol, having a willing female in his arms…no. not just any female. There was something about her tonight. He wanted to hold her, make love to her, to drive all thoughts of Hikaru from her mind; to never again see her about to cry because of that asshole.

After what seemed like an eternity, he finally got the zipper completely undone and stepped away from her for a moment before sliding his hands up her thighs, over her hips, and pulling the dress over her head. He gulped. She was beautiful. Petite and slim, her breast size had grown since high school and he figured now they would fill his palms. Never again could anyone mistake her for anything but an honest to god woman. And he wanted her. He gulped again, when she undid her bra and shimmied out of her panties.

Dropping to her knees before him, Haruhi grabbed his boxers and pulled them down. She had made the decision to go through with this and she would do everything she wanted, sating her lust and the cravings of her body. Her hands wrapped around his member and her tongue flicked the end, causing him to his and her to smile wantonly. Swirling her tongue around the end, she finally took it into her mouth and sucked ever so slightly, her tongue licking the underside, feeling the vein that ran his length. She wanted more, and sank further on his length.

Unable to handle the pleasure for too long, the hands he had subconsciously tangled in her hair, pulled her away from his dick and he breathlessly groaned, "Wait!" He wanted her to reach pleasure as well, but seeing her disappointed face, he almost caved. "You're turn," he whispered, brushing his fingers over her face. Pulling her to her feet, he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed. Starting with her lips, he kissed her down her body, pausing at her breasts, suckling the pink sweet peaks topping each one. Once done laving attention there, he continued going lower until he could flick his tongue against her clit. She bucked and he smiled. He inserted one finger into her core and felt how wet and hot it was. He moved in and out as his mouth continued to suck and pleasure her nub, adding a second finger and pressing upwards. She screamed, and his dick got harder – he honestly didn't think that was possible – and when she came, he drank it up, returning to her lips and letting her taste herself on him. She hadn't argued.

"More," she crooned.

Who was he to deny a lady her wish? Grabbing her hips, he lined himself up with her center and pressed in slowly, moaning at the pleasure of her heat surrounding him.

"More," she begged again.

He thrust in hard and fast the rest of the way, waiting a moment so she could adjust to him, savoring the pleasure she gave him. When she lifted her hips to meet his, he pulled back and thrust in again. Over and over until they were both fighting to breath and on the pinnacle of climax; and when they both fell over the edge, it was nothing but an explosion and their senses left them.

Those both lost count of how many times they found completion in each other's arms, but by the morning, they were weary and sated. And when Chika woke up later that morning with a killer hangover, he was alone in bed. Reality had returned.

Part of Haruhi hadn't wanted to leave, but as the sun started to peek through the curtains, sense returned and she remembered about her ex-husband and Chika's fiancée. This should not have happened, and she would walk away and pretend it never did. He could do the same. Life would return to normal.


	2. The Morning After

**A/N:** **Thank you everyone! I'm glad you are enjoying my first M Ouran story. Not all chapters will have M events, but the first will not be the last. This is set several years after the end of the anime/manga, and therefore, much like my Another Chance story, I am going to take some liberties with their personalities because I think after high school you change and mature. I know I've changed through the years based on situations I've faced and encountered, and just by maturing with time. Also, I will be going to visit my older sister in Virginia for a few weeks. I'll still be writing, but it might get haphazard for a bit. Just wanted to let you know. Enjoy!**

 **PS... My novel is done and back from the proofreaders. After doing some minor corrections, I will be self-publishing this week! I'm beyond excited. As soon as I get it published, I will give you all of the information for those who would like to read it.**

Chapter 2 – The Morning After

Haruhi rushed into her quiet apartment and slammed the door shut, trying to shut out the world. If only she could forget what she had done and with whom, it would have been easier to do. It wasn't that she was afraid of getting pregnant, she wasn't. Since Hikaru had not wanted kids right off the bat and she did not want to remember to always take a pill, she started getting the birth control shot once a month. It was easier and fit into her schedule better; and after divorcing her husband, she still got it like clockwork. How could she have gotten drunk and had sex with Chika of all people? The newly engaged Chika?

Sliding down to the floor, she held her head in her hands. How had everything become so topsy turvey in less than 24 hours? Her biggest fear was that now her other friends would turn their backs on her because even she had to admit that her behavior was unbecoming a lady or a host. She snorted at that. It had been years since she had been a host. How long? Eight, no nine years? It seemed like a lifetime ago sometimes. Even two years ago felt that way sometimes. Was it really just under two years that her life started to crumble around her? When she had gotten married to Hikaru, she felt like she held the universe in the palm of her hand. Shortly after returning from her honeymoon, she began the rigorous process of passing the bar, and she had with flying colors. Her internship started immediately, but somewhere in the middle of that year, her marriage had fallen apart and she found herself divorced. The next several months, she buried herself in work and her internship, and just last month, she had become a full-fledged lawyer and accepted a position in the same firm where she did her internship.

Professionally, she shined. Personally, her life felt haphazard and uncertain. One would think that by now, her personal life would start to even out and she could find her footing, but that was not the case. For some reason, she felt like she was walking around on egg shells around her friends and one wrong move would sever their ties forever. She hated that feeling and found herself taking her frustrations out on an inflatable punching bag almost daily. It was a wonder she had not punched a hole through the clown's nose yet.

And now this. She had crossed a line that should never have been crossed. Sure she could pretend that it had never happened, but that didn't stop the guilt from flooding her. Chika had stuck by her and tried to protect her and comfort her, and she had gotten drunk and taken advantage. Granted, he participated in their activities just as much as she had, however, she was older and should have known better. And yet, it was also hard to forget how amazing it felt to be held in someone's arms once again. Surprisingly, after she started to date Hikaru, she found she loved to cuddle, to be held; and lately, she had missed that sort of human contact.

Maybe it was time she started to date again, to try to find love, but then again, she had always felt a little socially awkward and had a hard time deciphering men's feelings for her. That had not changed since…well, since she was a kid. To this day she wondered how she had missed Arai's feelings for her. Not to mention Tamaki, Hikaru during their first year, Mori, Kassanoda, etc. And the list goes on and on. She could read people like a book, but when it came to their feelings for her…she was still a bit oblivious. A bit? More like her radar picked up anything and everything but feelings for her; and the one time she tried to get over her obliviousness and believed a guy might having feelings for her, she fell flat on her face. Literally. It turned out the guy was being nice to her so he could meet her friends and when Hunny showed up to take her to lunch, he pushed her to the side and she fell before anyone could catch her. The result of the entire escapade: two black eyes and a bruised ego. Hunny had helped her to her feet, ignored the other guy, and told her, "Don't worry, Haru-Chan. One day you'll figure it out, and if not, we'll help you." That had been a month ago.

She honestly didn't know if she would ever figure it out, and maybe oblivious was the better way to be. This way, she wouldn't enter into any relationships, she wouldn't fall in love, and she wouldn't get hurt. Her career should be her priority anyway since she was a new lawyer and just starting out, but then again, a job couldn't hold her and it wouldn't listen to her gripe or encourage her when she was feeling frustrated. And the way it was going, all of her remaining friends would be married sooner rather than later.

Shaking her head, she told herself, "Stop it, Haruhi. Everyone gets married sooner or later. You did. Just because it didn't work out for you, doesn't mean it won't for them. You want them to be happy and find love. They will always be your friends...hopefully."

She forced herself to get up off of the floor and take a shower, needing to wash the remnants of the wedding and "after party" down the drain.

Why had it been Chika of all people. The Haninozuka family had always been very kind to her, and always supported her in her dreams and schooling. They even recommended her to her law firm for her internship, and she had betrayed them. "Enough, Haruhi! You were drunk, he was drunk. It happened and it's best to forget it going forward. Besides, he probably doesn't remember anything, and if he does, he probably wants to forget it too. You two are friends and can just move forward from here. That's it. No more, no less. You have a career to think about, and you can't afford to lose focus now."

Stepping into the shower, she refused to think about Chika's mouth kissing her from head to toe. She refused to remember what it felt like when his hands caressed her. She would not allow herself to recall any of the events after the wedding or how it felt to be held, to have sex, and to find comfort in another. All of these things were off limits for the rest of her life.

 ** _Elsewhere…_**

Chika's head throbbed, and he couldn't remember the last time he ever experienced a hangover of this magnitude. Sure in college he had participated in his own share of parties, and had gotten drunk a time or two, but he never let himself get so drunk he lost control and did something stupid. And last night had been incredibly stupid. How could he let himself do something like that? Especially to Haruhi, who was more than likely at her most vulnerable at the moment? He was a horrible man.

Take Haruhi out of the mix, and there was still the fact he was currently engaged to a woman that did not deserve such behavior from her future husband. It mattered not that they had never met, he still should not have acted in such a manner. Getting drunk, having sex with someone who he had not relationship beyond that of friendship…this was not good.

Banging his head against the tile in the shower, he groaned. Unbidden, images of the previous night came rushing to the forefront of his thoughts. He could still remember how she felt under him, the feel of her skin, her lips, her hands, and the sounds she made when they consummated…NO! He mustn't think of anything that had to do with last night after he and Haruhi left the party. Maybe he could just chalk it up to one last wild and drunk night before he took his own plunge. But if that was the case, why did he feel a little guilty doing that?

His head banged again. They had only used protection about half the time last night, and he couldn't even guaranty that they used it properly. What if something happened? What if Haruhi got pregnant? How would he tell his parents? What about Ranka? He was such a dead man. Throughout his middle school and high school years, he touted the Haninozuka way, the code of conduct, and he criticized his brother for not following it. Did he not spurn it and chuck it to the side last night when he gave into temptation and spent his night in the arms of a certain brunette?

What had he done? For some reason, seeing her try to skip the wedding had caused him to guilt her into coming, claiming he and Satoshi would protect her, and then he took advantage of her. He kept giving her alcoholic drinks, kept dancing with her, and when he gazed into her drunken face under the soft lights of the ballroom, he felt the urge to take her up to his room and never let her go. One of his best friends, and he had not cared about their relationship at that point of time. He just wanted her.

Giving into and having one night, might have cost him his friendship with Haruhi. Was he ready for that? No, he wasn't. The first thing he needed to do was to sober up, and when he did that, he would call Haruhi to apologize and talk to her about their lack of preparation for the previous night. He would take full responsibility for whatever consequences they faced.

Something still bothered him though. Satoshi had been there all night, and had even seen him leaving with Haruhi. He knew this because he remembered telling Satoshi he and Haruhi were going upstairs, but his cousin did nothing to stop him. Why? The taller man had not gotten drunk, moderating his alcoholic intake, so why had he not stopped Chika and Haruhi from doing something they ought not to do? It didn't make sense. What had his cousin been thinking? The more he thought about it, the more confused Chika became, and the more he wanted to have a word or two with his so called best friend.

 ** _Elsewhere…_**

Satoshi felt a chill go up his spine and he wondered if that was a premonition of what was to come. Possibly. He hadn't exactly acted like the responsible parent last night and had let two drunk people leave with each other, but he had his reasons, and he would stick by his actions until the death…which would hopefully happen several decades from now.


	3. Messy

**A/N: You are awesome! Thank you everyone! It has been an interesting process to write an M story for Ouran, but I am beyond thrilled that the majority of my readers have really liked the story. Does Satoshi know something? Maybe. Did he do something he shouldn't? Maybe. You just have to read to find out. Mtnikolle - you were right about Satoshi. Enjoy!**

Chapter 3 – Messy

"Takashi! Do you know where your brother is?" Chika demanded. It had taken him a few days to confront his cousin, one of which was spent recuperating from his hangover, but he had finally arrived at the Morinozuka estate to have a "polite" conversation with his best friend.

"Out," Mori answered simply as he studied the younger man before him. His brother had told him everything that happened the night of Hunny's wedding, and it did not surprise the former wild host that Chika looked like he came in search of blood. No matter the reasoning, Satoshi should have stayed out of it regardless of who asked him to interfere. Not only was the relationship between Haruhi and Chika at risk, but so was her relationship with the Morinozuka and Haninozuka families; not to mention, the other hosts. If Hikaru got wind of what happened…yeah, Mori didn't even want to begin to contemplate that one.

Unlike most of the hosts, Mori knew Hikaru was not ready for marriage or a completely serious relationship when the older twin wed Haruhi. It was a miracle that it had survived as long as it had. In fact, given the way Hikaru still clung to his brother, it was surprising that Haruhi had agreed and gone through with the wedding. Everyone could see that she loved him, but Hikaru had not been ready to let go of his brother in order to have a relationship with the girl he had chosen. Hell, he should have been happy when she had picked him. She had her selection of hosts, and she had chosen him. Why? Because she loved him and saw something in him that no one else saw. The problem was it was not always easy to let go of things that are familiar or the past. Walking into something new can be scary, and instead of turning to his wife and depending on her, he reverted back to his old ways. He put up a wall and the only person able to cross to the other side had been his brother – their world once again consisted of two people; and Kaoru enabled his older sibling, which Mori still didn't understand the whys of such a move. Did Kaoru actually want the marriage to fail? Was he afraid of losing his older brother? Haruhi would never have dreamt of keeping the twins apart, and yet, in the end, she was the one filing for divorced and shunned. Oh, not all the hosts agreed with the twins; therefore, the only ones who appeared to want to have nothing to do with her at all were Hikaru and Kaoru.

To Mori, it wasn't fair. While he understood the reasons Hikaru had proposed, he didn't agree. Pressure from the Hitachiin matriarch, teasing from the patriarch, and the subtle hints from his grandmother made Hikaru believe he had no other choice but to propose...at least in his mind. In reality, it was never so black and white. Yes, his parents wanted to see him marry Haruhi, but their words had been more in jest than anything, and Hikaru never realized it. It wasn't that he didn't want to marry Haruhi, he did, but he was still unsure about a lot of things; and instead of taking their time and making the changes slowly, they catapulted themselves down the aisle, only to have their new life implode. The Hitachiin family blamed Haruhi, but it wasn't her fault. Well, maybe it was. Both sides held some of the blame. She could have been more vocal in the beginning, and he could have talked to her and not invited his brother into his marriage.

Now everything was one messed up situation. Kyoya, Tamaki, Mori, and Hunny dare not speak of Haruhi in front of the twins. Satoshi and Chika didn't seem to have the same filter and have on more than one occasion called Hikaru and Kaoru cowards and idiots; and while Kyoya, Tamaki, Mori, and Hunny all wholeheartedly agree with the younger men, they also believed that sometimes it is easier to keep the peace by not speaking of her than dealing with two angry twins with the capability of pranking anyone and everyone – Tamaki even felt they had the ability to prank even the emperor of Japan. Actually, Kyoya wasn't afraid of them, he just felt it would take more time and energy than necessary to go against them. Thus, a line was drawn in concrete, one that should never be crossed.

"What do you mean out?" Chika snapped.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Mori answered, "His girlfriend is feeling better. They went out on a date."

"When is he supposed to be back?"

"I don't know."

"That doesn't help me! Do you know what he did to me?"

"Nothing."

"Then you don't know!" Feet moving without realizing, Chika started to pace back and forth in front of his taller cousin, "He forced a situation that should never have happened!"

"He didn't force anything. Forcing means he held you at sword point or a gun to your head, that you had no other option. You made your decision and you followed through."

"It was a mistake!"

For some reason, those four words irritated the normally calm man and Mori glared at the agitated man in front of him, "Haruhi is not a mistake."

"I…" Sighing loudly, Chika thrust his hand into his hair and pulled, "I…I know. She's a good woman and a good friend, but spending the night with her was a mistake. She is a friend and that's all she will ever be."

Mori stood there for a moment before he asked, "Have you talked to her?"

"I tried, but she hasn't been home. Her firm said that she was in Okinawa for a trial of some sort."

"Call her."

"I tried and only get voicemail."

"I think you need to ask yourself why you are so agitated," the kendo master said before turning around and entering the dojo, leaving his cousin standing there gawking at him.

After a few minutes, Chika shook his head and marched away while muttering to himself, "Why am I agitated? I just spent the night with one of my closest friends doing whatever the hell we wanted and we crossed a line that should never have been crossed! I'm engaged. She's divorced. It was a drunken one night stand! Why can't Takashi ever just give me a straight answer? It's like pulling fucking teeth!"

Out of all of the hosts, Chika believed he was the only one who never thought of Haruhi as more than a friend or looked at her with lust…until he was plastered and then apparently anything was possible. She was cute, but he wouldn't call her beautiful or gorgeous. She was sweet, but she had a temper and a tongue that could cut anyone into a million pieces - it even turned Tamaki to dust a few dozen times. Her sense of humor was off, she wasn't from a noble family, she had to work for everything she had, she could be irritating; and yet, if you needed to talk to someone, needed to confide in another, she was always there ready to lend an ear and advice. Haruhi was a good friend, one that Chika never wanted to lose, and he was afraid he had.

When Mori had entered the dojo, he found his brother warming up and preparing to practice. Walking up to him, he told him, "You need to talk to him."

Satoshi dropped his shinai and his eyes looked towards the direction his brother had approached, "I know I do, Taka-bro, but it's not time yet. How did you get rid of him?"

"He believes you are out on a date with your girlfriend."

"You lied?" The younger man gasped. He didn't know his brother was capable of anything duplicitous.

"Talk to him."

"I will. I promise that I will tell him everything soon."

"Satoshi."

"I know, Taka-bro, and I promise I will. Just give me a little more time."

"Are you afraid?"

"Of what? Him? No, but then again, when he gets angry…his punches can be deadly. He and Mitsukuni are so much alike."

"Just talk to him…and prepare yourself, today you and I will be sparring again."

"It might be better to talk to Yasuchika," the younger man mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing! I said I can't wait. Please go easy on me."

Mori had heard everything his brother said, but decided to let it go for now. His brother had helped to create this monster of a situation, and he could fix it…and if Mori needed to help him, then he would; he just hoped Chika and Haruhi survived it all.

 ** _In Okinawa…_**

Haruhi opened her hotel room door and kicked off her shoes. She was exhausted from spending all day long in a very boring deposition. And why? She wasn't sure because she was certain neither side was willing to concede even an inch. Still, the business trip had come at the perfect time. Chika had been trying to call her and she had been ignoring his calls, pretty sure that he wanted to discuss their night of illicit lust – a night she wanted to forget ever happened. If she could pretend it never happened, then he could too, and that meant not talking about it at all. The topic was off limits. Period. End of story.

And yet, whenever she lay in bed at night and closed her eyes, she could still feel the way his hands glided over her breasts, how his tongue felt in her mouth and hers in his, how his fingers seemed to know exactly where to touch and how much pressure to apply – like when they delved between her legs and brought her to climax over and over again, and how his dick filled her up and made her hotter than she ever remembered being in her life. Up until that night, she could recall her sex life with Hikaru with fond memories; and after that night, her memories of sex with Hikaru seemed fuzzy and blasé at best. It wasn't just that Chika was longer and wider, the technique was better. Or maybe she was so drunk that night everything seemed bigger and better. What did they call that? Oh…beer goggles. If that was the case, she never wanted to take them off. The real thing might be truly disappointing. Not that there would ever be a second time with Chika…there wouldn't, but a girl could dream.

Dreams. That would be all Haruhi allowed herself when it came to the younger man. Dreaming of the taste of him, of swallowing his salty cum. She remembered gagging when Hikaru had comed in her mouth, unable to swallow, but with Chika, she had had no problems getting the spunk down her throat. She had woken up the next morning tired, sore, and well used – replete. Her one regret was that it was Chika. Chika she had sex with. Chika who made her cum. Chika who gave her pleasure. This was her friend and the younger brother of another friend. These days she didn't have too many of those and she didn't want to lose any now.

Why had she been so stupid and allowed it to happen? When she had been drunk, it seemed like a brilliant idea at the time, and when she woke up, she couldn't believe she did what she did. She had been completely wanton and carefree. It mattered not who it was or what they were doing…she just wanted to feel good, to be wanted, to feel like a woman. And Chika had made her feel all of that and more.

Falling backwards onto her bed, she let her arm fall over her eyes to block out the rest of the world. She could hear the way he moaned and called out her name, could almost feel him over her, and she started to ache between her legs. The wetness started to pool, and her core burned with need. It wasn't just any need, it wanted Chika to fill her, thrust into her with wild abandon. Reaching between her legs, she could feel how wet she had become in a short period of time. She rubbed her clit, thrust her hand into her panties and pushed a finger inside her, but it wasn't enough. She wanted more. Another finger and she pumped furiously until she screamed when her orgasm sent her over the edge.

Breathing hard, she curled onto her side and stared out the window. Her eyes burned, but she refused to let the tears fall. This whole mess was her fault, and she did not know how to fix it or how to move forward. Chika has a fiancée and she had a sticky situation with her ex-husband. This was a clusterfuck. Every time she saw him, she would remember and it would be hard to face him. Maybe it was best to sever all contact, but that would be impossible. Not only was he related to three of her friends, he was one himself…and a good one at that. They had talked about everything from school, to family, to politics, and he was about the only person who never made her feel like there was some ulterior motive. Kyoya was a given – he was always looking at things from an angle, how best to serve his own needs and desires. Tamaki – once he realized his feelings, he pursued her with a vengeance. Kaoru – she always suspected he had some sort of feelings for her in high school and had backed off for his brother, doing everything in his power to help his brother connect with her. Hunny – he had confessed the day he graduated to having a crush on her earlier in the year, and then he begged her to bake him a cake. Mori – at one point he had liked her. Satoshi – they started out as friends, and then he asked her out one of the times Hikaru and she had broken up. Hikaru – that was a long drama filled epic novel that ended in a disaster on par with the sinking of the Titanic. No, Chika had been the only one who never had any feelings for her beyond friendship. What about now? Did this change anything? Did he hate her? Kami! She just wished everything would go back to the way it was before. Back to when she had just broken the vase in Music Room Three. Back before everything got so complicated.

Her personal life felt like a mess.

 ** _Elsewhere…_**

"Time apart will do them good. It will help them to figure out a couple of things," a person on one end of the phone stated.

"I agree! This is kind of fun!" Another voice exclaimed.

"It's not fun! I'm the one they're going to murder in his sleep!" Satoshi argued.

The first voice chuckled, "We continue as we are."

"Fine," Satoshi grumbled and hung up the line. Maybe he needed to check his life insurance policy. Did his parents even have life insurance on him? He definitely needed to ask.


	4. Tea Anyone?

**A/N: Sorry for taking longer than anticipated in updating. I was at my sister's house a little longer than originally planned and didn't get to write as much as I would have liked and the chapters I had cached were quickly posted. I am back now and back to my normal updating schedule. I want to say thank you to everyone reading, favoring, and following this story. I'm pretty sure I warned everyone that you would hate the twins at first, and I know this story isn't for everyone, but I appreciate everyone who is sticking with me through this. FYI… I am going to go through each host and you will see their feelings on everything, much like you did with Mori in the previous chapter. You will also get Kaoru's version of everything, as well as Hikaru's, but they will come later. I want to show you everyone else first. Enjoy the new chapter! Thank you to tmwillson3 and crazykitcat for being my sounding board on this story.**

 **PS… For those interested, I have finally published my book Another Chance and it is available in a softback or e-book on Amazon (although, I have been told you should be able to order the book from major book sellers in 6-8 weeks). Another Chance by Maria Vickers. Thank you everyone!**

 **Chapter 4 – Tea Anyone?**

Kaoru walked into his bedroom at his family home and found Hikaru sitting there holding a crystal decanter half full of amber liquid in one hand as he sipped from a glass held in the other. Instead of walking in and talking to his brother, the younger twin decided to leave him alone. Every day it was becoming the same thing. His brother would sit at the window, staring at nothing, and drinking some form of alcohol. Oh, he would stop if you told him to, but that wasn't the point. Since the time things had started to fall apart with Haruhi, Hikaru really hadn't done any work, and now that the couple was divorced, his brother seemed almost lost, and Kaoru wasn't sure how to help him. Maybe an intervention? Who knew? Right now, Kaoru just felt like he was struggling to keep his head above water with Hikaru.

Entering his workroom, the same room he once shared with his brother, he plopped himself down into his chair and leaned back to stare up at the ceiling. Some days, like today, he missed Haruhi and the way she could bring sense to everything, but then he would remember that she was the reason his brother was the way he was now, and he would get angry with her all over again. At one point in time, she had been the twins' closest friend, but now she carried the title of enemy number one. Where had everything gone awry? Why had she done what she did? He just didn't know any longer. He only knew that he missed her.

 ** _Suoh mansion…_**

"Mommy, do you think everything is going to be all right? Will we be a family again?" Tamaki questioned his best friend as he sat across from him drinking tea. He had been worried about his friends ever since Haruhi announced she would be divorcing Hikaru – something he hadn't seen coming. Some would have said he was delusional if he hadn't, Kyoya already had, but he hadn't. Maybe he had put blinders on, maybe it was because he wanted to honestly believe that once you find true love, and truly fall in love, nothing can destroy that bond. His parents were a prime example of that, so what happened to Hikaru and Haruhi? He just couldn't understand how it fell apart so quickly and to the monumental level of destruction it had achieved. He just couldn't…nothing made sense any longer.

Lifting the cup to his mouth, Kyoya inwardly cringed when Tamaki had called him mommy. He really hated that nickname, but he allowed it because Tamaki was Tamaki and there really was no changing the blond. Gently (because he was a gentleman), Kyoya returned the delicate china to its saucer and stated, "With time, things will work out as they should." Not that he could predict the future or anything like that, but he had a strong… let's call it an inclination, that things would work out in the end, that everyone would be with who they were meant to be with, and that Hikaru and Kaoru would finally pull their heads out of their asses. Of course the latter make take a little more effort than the former.

"What does that even mean?"

"It means that you will get your happy ending."

"Don't placate me!"

Kyoya's eye brow shot up, "Placate you? What makes you think I was doing that?"

"You're just telling me what you think I want to hear, aren't you?"

"Not at all. In fact, I actually believe…our daughter will find a new happiness, and our…our sons will grow up and finally become mature young men. Everyone will be better off than they were before." Using those family terms still gave the Shadow King pause after all this time, however, if they distracted his friend and made him happy, then it was worth it…for now.

Tamaki practically glowed with this announcement and started to bounce, "Do you really think so, mommy? Oh I do hope so. Maybe there is something we can do to help things along!"

Pushing his glasses up, Kyoya smirked, "I believe things have already been set into motion. We only need to sit back and watch." At one point in time, he had entertained the idea of courting Haruhi, making her his wife, but he could see her emotions lied elsewhere, and he would not come between her and Hikaru. Contrary to what some believed, Hikaru had not been the reason he hesitated; it had been Haruhi. Granted, he had a friendly relationship with both of the younger hosts and counted them both as his close friends, however, he had always been closer to the brunette than the redhead. Intellectually speaking, she was more on par with where the Shadow King's intelligence lay than Hikaru, but that wasn't the only reason. Haruhi had opened up something inside of him, and he had become a better man because of her. Through her eyes, with her harsh scolding and words, he had learned so much about himself; and had even begun to look at his family through new eyes. He was still Kyoya Ootori, Shadow King of Ouran, Vice President of the Ouran High School Host Club, but he was also so much more than that. Becoming the heir was no longer his obsession and he decided to forge his own path, to succeed for himself and not only to prove to his father and brothers that he was worthy.

Haruhi had done that and more for him. She deserved to have everything she desired given to her on a silver platter. And she hadn't. She has worked hard for everything she obtained, and Hikaru almost tore it all apart, almost ripped it to shreds. When the couple had finally announced that they were dating, and then proceeded to enter the never ending cycle of breaking up and getting back together, Kyoya wanted to kill them. In his opinion they either needed to make a commitment to each other and stop the roller coaster ride, or stop getting on the ride period and stay apart. However, he never felt they were actually right for each other. Hikaru was not ready to give up his brother, or at least the co-dependency, and Kyoya knew in the end, it would wind up hurting Haruhi. And he had been right. Hikaru felt his parents and grandmother was pressuring him to make a decision about his future and marriage, and although he knew he wasn't completely ready, he proposed. His words were, _"We're going to get married eventually. What's the difference if it's now or later?"_ It made a lot of difference because Hikaru was in no way ready to get married; and the way they would constantly breakup only to get back together, said neither of them were completely sure they belonged together.

So why get married? It was something the bespectacled man was still asking himself to this day. Each host had a differently level of disbelief when the announcement came, but because Hikaru was their friend, because they loved Haruhi, they stepped up and congratulated the couple and supported them in their marriage. And then it had all fallen apart. Hikaru and Kaoru blamed Haruhi, but Kyoya couldn't. When she had married Hikaru, she had been glowing and happy; and the day the divorce was final, she looked hurt, aged, and callous. She'd become a different person in such a short period of time. Hikaru, on the other hand, looked like he had not aged a day. Haruhi wasn't talking about what happened, and Hikaru would only say it was all Haruhi's fault. Kyoya knew better. Haruhi was not the type of person to do this without just cause. The twins could blame Haruhi all they wanted to, but it did not change the fact they had to take responsibility for their own actions.

Was it bad to think he would have made a better husband that the #1 prankster of Ouran? Kyoya didn't think so, but he also wouldn't have forced Haruhi to go down the aisle. That was the other thing. Everything seemed rushed to him and the others. Now while their friends may not question it, he did. He wanted to know what the hurry was and why they couldn't have waited a little longer to get married. One minute Haruhi couldn't make decisions about anything, and the next, the whole wedding was planned. At first, he thought there might be a baby involved, but there wasn't – anything medical, he would have known before Hikaru, thanks to his family business. No, it couldn't have been a baby. So why? It was something Kyoya had been unable to answer to this day.

"Kyoya, are you listening?" Tamaki asked when his friend didn't seem to respond to his question.

"I apologize. What did you say?"

Tilting his head to the side, the blond studied his friend for a moment before saying, "You're thinking about Haruhi and Hikaru." No, he hadn't suddenly become a mind reader, but it was something that recently popped into everyone's minds. No one quite understood what happened, and they certainly couldn't believe all of Hikaru's ravings. Something had happened. The marriage broke up. Haruhi was keeping quiet, and Hikaru was yelling her faults from the bell tower for all to hear. Tamaki may not know what happened, but he did know Haruhi wasn't as horrible as Hikaru claimed she was. There was no way she had done a 180 overnight. Yes, she could be a demon, but then again, so could Kyoya and Hunny; however, she wasn't a monster. What was her side of the story though?

As soon as Hikaru told everyone he had committed himself and won the princess, Tamaki's heart broke a little. He knew he never had a chance with her and had moved on after a couple years of pursuing her, however, something didn't sit right with him. He was happy for them and wished them all the best, but it felt off somehow. Like this wasn't supposed to happen. Unable to pinpoint why, he pushed it to the side and did everything he could to support the happy couple. Now he wished he would have listened to his gut.

"Maybe."

"Our little girl looked so out of place at the wedding. Like she didn't want to be there."

Another smirk, "Maybe at first. I believe Satoshi and Yasuchika helped her to feel more comfortable."

"Our sons cut her again."

"They did, but she was well protected."

"Was it planned?"

"I believe Hunny asked Satoshi and Chika to stick close to her just in case."

"And then Yasuchika was nice enough to escort her home after she'd had too much to drink."

Sweat dropping, Kyoya wondered if he should tell his friend the truth. Anyone there could have seen that Yasuchika wasn't just escorting the brunette home. Then again, sometimes ignorance was bliss, "Yes, he did escort her when they left." It was the truth after all.

"Do you think she'll ever find love again? Will she ever find someone who will treat her how she should?"

This surprised Kyoya because this was the first time Tamaki said something negative about Hikaru…and it was negative to a point. "Are you volunteering for the job?"

Chuckling, the blond shook his head, "Not me. Someone though. I know…I know she wasn't treated the way she should have been. None of us really know what happened, but I don't believe it was all her fault. She deserves someone."

"I agree. And yes, I do believe she will find someone. Maybe someone she never expected to find."

"What does that mean?"

"It means…you never know where you will find the one person who is your better half."

Tamaki's face lit up with a smile, "I agree! You know, we should help her! We can call it…" His voice tapered off when he saw his best friend shaking his head.

"No."

"No?"

"NO!"

"But mommy. Our little girl is hurting and I think…"

"Tamaki, I will only say this one time – DO NOT GET INVOLVED AT ALL!"

"But mommy! She needs…Okay fine! I won't help!" Crossing his arms over his chest, Tamaki started to pout.

"Well, at least one thing has changed since high school. You don't run into your corner and turn the atmosphere black any longer," Kyoya muttered and took another sip of tea.

 ** _Elsewhere…_**

Another day of depositions done and Haruhi was exhausted, but when she returned to her hotel, the person she least expected to see had shown up. "Chika? What are you doing here?"

"I'm not sure, but I didn't like you ignoring me," he explained. For the life of him, he could not begin to understand what had propelled him to buy the ticket to Okinawa and jump on the plane, or why he called Kyoya for the hotel information. And that was the other odd thing, Kyoya sounded as if he had been expecting the call and had the information readily available. It almost felt like he was one of the main characters in a plot created by Satoshi and maybe the Shadow King. He really needed to murder his cousin when he got home, but the taller man had been hiding from him since the wedding, and hiding very well.

Sighing, Haruhi finally relented, "Okay. Where are you staying?"

"Here."

"Here?"

"Yes."

She couldn't catch a break. "Fine. Then let me go upstairs and change, and we can meet in an hour for dinner." She really didn't want to, but at the point she didn't feel like she had much of a choice. Her pretend world had just been blown up with a nuclear bomb. The only question that remain, what was the fall out destruction?


	5. In the Shadows

**A/N: Well, Chika decided to show up. Will Haruhi actually talk to him, or will she find a way to blow everything off? Due to the length of the whole night and conversation, I have decided to split it up into two chapters. Enjoy!**

Chapter 5 – In the Shadows

Sitting in the chair in her room, Haruhi stared at herself long and hard. It was something that she had been doing a lot, and for the life of her, she still did not have any answers. She should be rushing to get ready in order to meet Chika for dinner, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to do anything at the moment. Not get changed or showered, not to lay on the bed or check her personal emails. Nothing. It was like she was stuck in a void and didn't know how to get out. A feeling she had been all too familiar with since the wedding almost a week ago.

It should have been so easy to chalk the indiscretion as simply a drunken night, a one night stand, but for some reason, she couldn't. Maybe it was because she knew her partner so well, and it wasn't just some faceless man without a name, who meant nothing to her in the grand scheme of things. Instead, he was Yasuchika Haninozuka, one of her closest friends, the little brother to another of her best friends, and he had a fiancée somewhere waiting for him in the wings. At the wedding, he had been her protector. He and Satoshi. They stood up for her and shielded her from Hikaru and Kaoru, and she had chosen to hide behind them and allow them to keep the bad at bay.

And that was the other thing. Satoshi. If she didn't know any better, and she allowed herself to really think about it, it almost seemed like he had gotten her drunk on purpose. But she was almost positive that he wouldn't do that. The others…a couple of them might have done something like that, but Satoshi looked up to his older brother and held his honor like a badge of pride, holding it near and dear to him.

Of course now that it was time to truly face the music, she couldn't keep trying to forget or pretend it didn't happen. Chika had appeared and wanted to talk. Would he have stayed away if she had not been ignoring him? It wasn't that she had planned on doing that, but she wasn't exactly sure what she should say. "Hey, thanks for the stress reliever, but let's forget it ever happened." Or, "You are a great friend and a wonderful guy, and I know you have a fiancée, so can we just say what's done is done and move forward?" Of course there was always the, "Night? What night? I don't know what you mean?" Yet, pretending it never happened, never bringing it up for as long as they lived just didn't feel right to her, and she couldn't figure out why that would be. Maybe because they were good friends who always promised to give it to each other straight, who had always connected and understood each other whenever it felt like no one would ever understand them. True, Haruhi was an only child from a one parent home, who sometimes struggled financially, with a father who adored and loved her (almost to the extreme); and Chika, had an older brother, came from a rich family, two parents still alive and well, who seemed to be searching for his place amongst giants.

The only thing they seemed to have in common besides the fact they were human beings, they both went to Ouran Private Academy and had been involved in the Host Club. But their connection went beyond that. They both fought for what they have, studied hard, and stood on their own two feet. They both knew failure and disappointment, and the feeling of living in someone's shadow, and both of them had put themselves in that situation in a way. Chika wanted to defeat his brother and believed in order to be recognized as his own person, he had to beat Hunny. It wasn't true. Haruhi wanted to be a lawyer like her mother, and worried that she would disappoint people if she did not succeed; although, the only person she spilled that secret to was Chika, and only when she was trying to comfort him one day…it was one of the ways they started to bond.

 ** _Flashback…_**

 _A few days after Hunny and his brother fought on that hill (which Haruhi was still a little shocked to find they had one…and she was pretty sure if they didn't, they would have flown on in, constructed it, etc. – damn rich bastards), she ran into Chika once again standing just outside the doors of Music Room Three. "What's he want now? Has he come to pick another fight?" She thought to herself. Aloud, she asked, "Is there something I can help you with, Chika-kun?"_

 _That nickname! It grated on his last nerve, but when he whipped around to chastise and possibly hit the person who dared utter that ugly name, he found Haruhi standing there, and with his petite frame, he couldn't bring himself to hurt his senpai. It would be like hitting a girl, and he would never do that. Counting to ten internally, he stated, "No, nothing. Thank you though, senpai."_

 _"_ _Did you want to see your brother? I could get him for you…" she left her words hanging there._

 _"_ _No! Uh. I mean, no, thank you." Why was this first year bothering him? He could stand where he wanted, when he wanted, and if he wanted to stand outside of Music Room Three with no real purpose in mind, looking like an utter horse's ass, then he could! Who was this student to bother him? To question him? From what he had gathered, Haruhi was from a poor family who attended Ouran on scholarship. Who was he to look down upon the second Haninozuka son?_

 _There was something about his countenance, his stature, that spoke volumes to Haruhi, and for some reason, she felt herself reaching out to him and wanting to help…even if it was just a little bit, "I don't have any siblings, so I don't exactly understand what you're going through, Chika-kun."_

 _"_ _Then don't butt in where you're not wanted!" He lashed out, and instantly regretted it when he saw him flinch. Normally, he didn't care, but again, it felt as if he were picking on a girl when he yelled at the brunette._

 _After facing the likes of the Host Club, Haruhi didn't let this phase her one iota. She had learned long ago that sometimes these rich bastards needed to be taken and led by a firm hand (one example would be when the twins were pretending to fight). Narrowing her eyes, she crossed her arms over her chest and snapped, "I may not understand what it is like to have to live with a sibling, but I do know what it's like to live in the shadow of someone! You can either take yourself out or deal with it, but throwing a temper tantrum because you lost again is not the way to handle it!"_

 _"_ _Oh yeah! What do you know? If you don't have siblings, whose shadow could you possibly have to deal with?"_

 _Her bluster left her and she sighed. Speaking softly, she said, "My mother."_

 _He opened his mouth to retort, and immediately snapped it closed again. Her mother?_

 _"_ _Hey, do you mind if we go somewhere else to talk? I feel like this door will open any minute and Tamaki-senpai will jump out. He seems to have built in radar sometimes," she offered him a small smile._

 _Chika stared at her for a moment before relenting, "Fine. Come with me."_

 _Raising one brow, she obeyed and asked, "You know the high school?"_

 _"_ _I've been going to Ouran since the beginning of my academic career. My brother has been attending high school for three years now. I had to know the layout if I wanted to spy on him."_

 _"_ _Of course," she said out loud, and thought, "So Chika-kun has been watching his brother all this time?"_

 _It wasn't long before Chika opened a large wooden door and waved her in. Following her, he shut the door behind him. "You wanted to talk. I doubt even Tamaki-senpai would venture in here."_

 _"_ _What is this place?" She noticed the only light in the room came from the windows. There seemed to be no florescent lighting like all of the other rooms in Ouran. The space was devoid of furniture and needed a good sweeping and dusting. It almost looked abandoned…and not like the sort of abandoned Music Room Three was. This was truly abandoned._

 _"_ _The old Black Magic Club room. When Nekozawa-senpai took over the club, he requested the club room be moved to another location in the school. None of the other clubs wanted it because they were afraid of what may be lingering."_

 _"_ _And since Tamaki-senpai is afraid of Nekozawa-senpai and probably everyone else in that club…"_

 _"_ _Yep, he won't venture here. Now, you were saying?" If she wanted to converse, she had to prove she was worthy of his time._

 _"_ _Oh…" Now that the dust had settled between them, so to speak, it felt kind of awkward, but she would not let that deter her from making her point, "Look, I know you don't completely hate your brother. I know you actually look up to him and admire his strength and the person he has become. If that wasn't the case, you wouldn't have bothered spying on him. However, you feel like you are in his shadow and that everyone compares you to him. You kind of did that to yourself. You feel like everyone compares you because you compare yourself to him. You feel like you are in his shadow because you put yourself there. I'm not saying your father or mother didn't help with that sort of mentality, but you put yourself in his shadow and are keeping yourself there. If you want to be your own person, then do it. Find out what makes Chika-kun an individual and explore it."_

 _"_ _I'm not saying your right or wrong, but you said you were living in your mother's shadow?"_

 _Haruhi looked downward, "Hai. My mother was a lawyer who always wanted to help her clients, to help people who couldn't help themselves. She was a wonderful caretaker, wife, lawyer, and from what I remember, mother."_

 _"_ _What you remember?"_

 _"_ _She died when I was five. After that, I started to take care of my father – he had a hard time taking care of himself sometimes, especially right after she died – the house, and I decided to become a lawyer so that I could be just like her. I never thought about, what if I didn't succeed. That decision lodged itself deep within me and became my dream. Maybe I did it because that's who my mom was and I wanted to do something she would be proud of, but somewhere along the way, I found I actually wanted to do it. I have learned in the last couple of years that my mother had made a small name for herself, and people are wondering what kind of lawyer I will turn out to be. Will I be like her? Will I surpass her? Will I fail to meet the mark? I live in my mother's shadow because of my dream, and I put myself there. It's not an easy place to be. You feel anxious and more determined than ever to prove them wrong. So, yeah, I know what that feels like. I could have changed my dream, picked something else that would never compare me to her, but I know this is the path for me. I'll become a lawyer and whether I live up to those expectations or not, we'll have to wait and see, but the other thing I know, I have to do what I want to for me. I have my own expectations, and those are the only ones I care about meeting and surpassing. It still stings sometimes when they try to compare me to my mom, but then I remember how wonderful she was and I'm ready to live up to the name she created."_

 _"_ _Do you miss her? Your mom?"_

 _A small smile appeared on Haruhi's face, "All the time, but I am her daughter and I want to make her proud."_

 _Wait! Had he heard that correctly? "Daughter? I thought you were a host!?"_

 _"_ _I am," she blinked, and then explained, "There was a small case of mistaken identity when I first was forced to join the Host Club. Since I have a debt to pay off, it is easier and faster to do so as a host. So I dress as a boy and do my job."_

 _"_ _So, you're a girl?"_

 _"_ _I am."_

 _"_ _Female?"_

 _"_ _Isn't that the same thing?"_

 _"_ _I…I…" No wonder he felt like he was picking on a girl when he lashed out at her, he really was!_

 _"_ _Take a moment and let it sink in. I am a girl, a female, and I am in the Host Club with your brother."_

 _Rolling his eyes, he grumbled, "I got it!"_

 _She snickered, "Feel better?"_

 _His eyes met hers for a brief moment before he answered, "Yeah, I do. Thanks." And he meant that in more ways than one._

 ** _End Flashback…_**

After that, Haruhi and Chika would talk a lot about different things going on in their lives. They had become great friends through the years, and they were always honest with each other. He was probably the one guy she would never have ever considered sleeping with. Her head dropped to the desk with a small thud. And she would have probably continued to sit there if someone had not started knocking at her door. Who could it be? She told Chika she would meet him downstairs. So it couldn't be him…then again. He was as impatient as the other hosts.

Glancing out the peep hole, she sighed and opened the door, "Chika, I told you I would meet you downstairs."

"You said an hour and it's 30 minutes beyond that. I wasn't sure if you had hopped on another plane and I would need to chase you to the North Pole or something," he rolled his eyes skyward.

"Really? The North Pole?"

"I figured you would want to hide somewhere it would be hard to follow."

"Then Antarctica would have been better." For whatever reason, this whole exchanged seemed to break the ice and they both started to laugh. Holding open the door a little more, she said, "Why don't you come in? This way we can at least have some privacy as we talk. Every time I go out with one of you rich bastards, I get stared at."

"I think they stare because you've finally look like a girl, and some might say pretty."

"I think it's because all of you have a third eye that remains hidden from me. I swear Kyoya knows all and sees all."

"Hey, did he know where you would be staying?" Chika inquired as he shut the door.

"Unfortunately. He and my dad had my whereabouts." Spinning around, she really looked at him and her breath caught. Throughout the years, he had filled out a little more, grew a little taller, and turned into a very good looking gentleman. Normally, that did not bother her, but tonight memories from that night flooded her mind and she truly noticed how nice he looked and how well his body filled out the slacks and shirt he picked out. What the hell was happening to her? She could already feel her own body responding to his nearness. "May-Maybe this wasn't the best idea. I think we should go downstairs."

"What's wrong? Are you afraid to be in the same room with me? Afraid of what I'll do to you?"

"No, that's ridiculous."

"Then what's wrong?" He was trying to tell himself he was not affected by her, and it was a losing battle. She still wore her business suit, her skirt just below the knee, her discarded jacket thrown on the bed, and her white button up shirt with the three top buttons undone and showing off her porcelain skin. The shadow of her bra played peek-a-boo with his senses because there were times, when he thought he could see it through the white shirt…not that it was a thin material, but the color was one that was easy to see through, especially if there was other material under it. Maybe she was right. Why this? Why now? Never before had he looked at her like this, so why was this happening to him now?

"It's just that…I don't know. I guess after everything, I'm a little on edge." Boy was that ever the truth!

"I…I get it. If it will make you feel more comfortable, I've reserved a booth downstairs for us in the restaurant. Although, if you would feel better in a private room…"

"I think that would be the same as this," her voice sounded a little breathless.

"You might be right. Shall we?" He held himself in check and swept his hand towards the door much like he had long ago when they first talked one on one in that dusty old room. After that day, he never thought things would ever be awkward between them again. He had been wrong. And as Haruhi swept past him after putting on her shoes, he caught a whiff of her perfume and had to force himself to pull back lest he grab her like he so desired to do. Tonight was going to be a very long and hard night. Pun intended. He really hoped she could not see how his body reacted to her nearness. Hard indeed.


	6. Dinner or Seduction

**A/N: Here is the second part of that night. I decided to give it to you early since I wanted to finish writing it. I'm so happy you liked the flashback and it explained their relationship a little more. In the coming chapters, you will get to see everything from Hikaru's POV and his side of the story. You will also understand why Kaoru sided with his brother and acted the way he did. The plotters will also be revealed as well as their reason for picking Chika and Haruhi. Enjoy!**

Chapter 6 – Dinner or Seduction

In all honesty, it would have been better for Haruhi's state of mind – as well as her libido – if Chika had remained in Tokyo instead of following her to Okinawa. She thought she would be able to control herself around him, however, the moment she saw him again, her focused state of mind seemed to sprout wings and fly away. Why? How? No other man had been able to do that to her – not even Hikaru. Maybe she should feel guilty about that, but she didn't. She couldn't.

So many things happened to her during her engagement to Hikaru, and now that she thought back on everything, they had rushed their trip to the altar. Hindsight was 20/20. Pressure from the Hitachiin family, her own father, and her fiancé had her accepting a short engagement when she had wanted to wait until after she got her feet wet actually practicing law as a licensed attorney. Damn that grandmother of Hikaru's. It had been her "confession" that had sent Haruhi over the edge and made her readily accept a sooner than anticipated wedding. According to her, the doctors had just told her that she had only 6 months to a year to live and she wanted to see at least one of her precious grandchildren married before she "kicked the bucket". Haruhi fell for it hook, line, and sinker…and the old bat was still riding around the countryside on her motorcycle healthy as a horse.

If she only knew then what she knew now had become a mantra of sorts, and it was true. At every corner she found herself guided into the marriage, and now that she looked back on it all, she wondered if Hikaru was swindled as well. Possibly.

"-ri? Haruhi?" Placing a hand on her shoulder, Chika tried to shake her out of her stupor, and just that act alone made him want to place his hands on more than just an innocent part of the body. And that thought, forced him to quickly pull back his hand as if he had been burned.

"Huh?" She blinked a few times before her eyes settled and focused on the man beside her. Why was his face so red? Why was he breathing kind of harshly? She could remember when he was breathing like that one night, in her ear, as he thrust into her… Shaking her head, she tried to clear her thoughts as her own face started to light up brighter than a lighthouse on a stormy night. "Umm, ahem, umm did you need something?"

"Uh, yeah. Our table is ready," he held up the flashing plastic device to cover up the awkwardness. The restaurant was busier than they initially thought and they had to wait at the bar for a table, and while it might have made things a little more unbearable, having a certain talk in the middle of a crowded restaurant was not the most ideal of situations.

"Oh! Then I guess we need to go," her muttered reply could barely be heard above the loud buzzing in the bar area, but she didn't care. It wasn't like it was a news flash or anything like that...more like covering up the weird feeling that had settled between her and one of her closest friends.

Together, they walked towards the hostess so that they could be seated, keeping a small amount of space between them. For safety, to curb their desire? Maybe, however, they were also both painfully aware that he had a fiancée that was not Haruhi, she was still dealing with the aftermath of a divorce, and they had to observe proper etiquette.

Sitting down at their table, they were set far enough away from most of the crowd. The hostess, encouraged by a generous tip from Chika, gave them a back table in a quiet corner so they could talk alone. Or as alone as possible when there were three other occupied tables in a ten foot radius of them, but at least everyone seemed to be lost to their own little worlds. It made Haruhi feel a tinge of jealousy. Couples surrounded her, and although Chika was there with her, she still felt somewhat alone.

They ordered drinks and food and then they were left to their own devices. Both sat in silence, unsure of what to say, the awkwardness growing by the second. It was a wonder it didn't engulf the entire room. How were they supposed to even proceed? Neither had experience in one night stands…nor sleeping with their best friends. Granted Haruhi had been married to Hikaru for a time, but this was different.

"Look…" Haruhi began, and Chika said at the same time, "I just…" Laughing nervously, they tried to figure out how to circumvent the giant crater between them.

Her heart was pounding, her palms sweaty, and she knew her deodorant was not up to the challenge of facing this man after everything that happened – not that she could run away, even if part of her did want to. Inside, her body was in utter conflict, and instead of a fight or flight mode, it was flight or fuck. Not that she had any intention of giving into those urges ever again. She couldn't even understand why she was having them. Sure he made her feel pleasure, more so than Hikaru had ever done, but he was still one of her friends and he had a fiancée. They could never do what they did at Hunny's wedding ever again. But damn, his red lips looked kissable and the way his body filled out his clothes… NO!

Chika wanted to look anywhere except at the woman across from him, because if he looked at her, his resolve may crumble. He wanted her. She was desirable, and his memory of that night was bright and clear…surprisingly given how much he had to drink at the reception. Seeing her, smelling her scent, watching the way her hips swayed ever so slightly when she walked…all of it made his body burn, and he had to remind himself who she was and what his future held. He was not a free man, and he had to wonder, if he was, would it make a difference? He honestly didn't know. Getting involved with Haruhi, would be more than a little sticky with his family, their mutual friends, and the Hitachiin's – not that he actually cared what Hikaru thought or felt. He didn't, but they were still a powerful family and friends with his own. It was funny, tonight, she looked more beautiful than he could ever remember her being. She had always been cute, but never beautiful. What changed?

Clearing this throat, he differed to her, "Go ahead." He needed time to get his libido and thoughts in check.

"Oh, umm," she also cleared her throat and tried to focus her thoughts, which was not all that easy considering her imagination kept picturing him grabbing her and bending her over the table so he could have his way with her right there in the middle of the restaurant. Her head turned and she peered out the window and watched the ocean waves roll in on the beach. Maybe if she wasn't looking at him, it would be easier to talk. "I just…I just…" Why couldn't she say anything? How did one even apologize for having sex…and great sex to boot?

"I know," he said quietly. "A lot of things happened that night. People were celebrating, the drinks were flowing, and it was easy to get wrapped up in the feelings and air surrounding us." A ping in his heart told him brushing it off as nothing might be wrong.

Why did her heart hurt? Why did her body feel hot with embarrassment? "Yeah, I can't remember how much I had to drink, and it was easy to get caught up in the whole wedding, romantic atmosphere."

"Haruhi?" He waited until she turned to look at him before he continued, "I just…" He shoved his hand roughly into his hair and sighed, "Look, your one of my best friends. I would even say my best girl friend, and I don't want to lose that. When you started to ignore me, I felt lost. I started thinking that maybe everything was messed up to a point that you didn't want to associate with me any longer, and while I would have honored your wishes, it would have hurt. I just don't want to lose you."

Her hand shot out and grabbed his other hand that was playing with his glass of water, "Chika, I've already lost a couple of good friends and I don't want to lose any others. I couldn't get rid of you. I just didn't know how to act after what happened. I needed to wrap my head around it all."

"I know. I still can't believe that you and I…" His voice tapered off and he started to stare out the same window she had been a moment ago.

She extracted her hand and turned to look towards the water again. The one good thing about being in Okinawa and getting a hotel room in this particular hotel, she could hear the ocean waves rolling in any time she wanted to. It made her think of the first time she went to the beach with the Host Club. That was a weekend to remember. She was pushed over the cliff, rescued by Tamaki, Hikaru and Kaoru beat up the hoodlums, Kyoya tried to make a pass at her (sort of), she got sick, and Tamaki discovered her secret. Of course, he was also called a pervert the rest of the weekend because he didn't tell the others what he had discovered. It was a happy time and a time when everyone was together. Sometimes, she longed to go back in time and stay there. To stay in the period of her life when all felt right with the world; and yet, right now she felt like she was still trying to get her bearings. The rug had been ripped out from under her and she sometimes still felt like the ground beneath her was sand instead of solid earth.

"Ne, Chika?"

"Yes?"

"Do you ever regret anything you have done in your life?"

Was she asking if he regretted that night? If that was the case, he would have to say, no. He had thought long and hard about that night and although it wasn't the most ideal situation, he couldn't actually say he regretted it at all. Things happened and you had to deal with them and move on. "What do you mean?"

"Is there anything you regret?" Her eyes moved from the ocean lit up by the moon to him. "Anything at all?"

"I don't know. I think I've grown and learned from all of my experiences, but sometimes I wish I hadn't been so fixated on my brother."

Her lips curled into a small smile and she snickered, "Ah, but if you hadn't, I don't know that you and I would be as close as we are. Plus, I think it helped you grow as a person. You are one of the most determined people I know."

He chuckled, "That's is true." His expression turned somber, "What about you?"

"Me?"

"Yes."

"There are days I wish I could relive and change."

"Like what?"

"I don't think I would have rushed into marriage. I think I would have taken my time to really think about everything, and if I had, maybe I wouldn't have gotten married to Hikaru. Maybe then, we would still be friends. Sometimes I think I should have taken Satoshi, Kyoya, or Tamaki up on their offers instead of settling."

"Did you?"

"Huh?" She blinked and tilted her head in confusion. "Did I what?"

"Settle."

She turned towards the ocean again and shrugged, "I don't know. I know that neither of us were happy, especially at the end. I don't even know why he did what he did. It was like a wall formed and he stopped talking to him, and I don't know why. Maybe it would be easier if I did know, but I may never figure it out."

"Did you ever have feelings for anyone besides Hikaru?"

"Maybe. I think my feelings for Hikaru were always the strongest compared to everyone else, but…"

"But?"

"After you get divorced, and deal with a messy one like mine, you start to think about a lot of things."

"Such as?"

"I think he needed me more."

"Is that all?"

Shaking her head, she answered, "No, but it was part of it."

"Not to be rude, but apparently he didn't need you as much as you thought he did."

"Maybe."

"You deserved better."

"Maybe."

"No maybe about it! You are a wonderful person who deserves to be happy."

"And you are a great guy who deserves the same. I hope your fiancée gives you everything you deserve in life."

Why did she have to bring up the arranged marriage? It wasn't exactly something Chika wanted, but he was doing for his brother and family. When Hunny was three, a business partner of the Haninozuka had a daughter and a marriage was arranged for the two children. No one knew that years later during Hunny's third year at Ouran, he would meet the love of his life…especially when Reiko kept trying to curse him. So that his brother didn't have to suffer and lose out on love, Chika convinced everyone that he would marry the daughter in Hunny's place, thus saving the partnership and the Haninozuka honor. He had yet to meet her, and every day he wondered if they would be happy together. Was he making a huge mistake in marrying her? He just didn't know, but after one night of holding Haruhi in his arms, he felt guilt not towards his fiancée as he should, but towards Haruhi because he was already engaged. He couldn't understand it. His guilt should be for cheating on his fiancée, not for cheating on Haruhi.

"We'll see," he finally relented. A lull fell between them until after the food was delivered.

Studying her friend for a moment, she commented, "You don't sound excited."

"I've never met her. It's all arranged."

"I know, but…"

"Haruhi," interrupting her, he continued, "Do you ever think of that night?"

"That night?" She wanted to play dumb because she didn't want to admit that she thought about it constantly.

His eyes locked with hers and he said, "The night of my brother's wedding."

She tried to break eye contact, but was held prisoner, "It…It…" She swallowed hard, her nerves on overdrive and her heart pounding in her chest. "It happened and what's done is done. Let's chalk it up to two friends who needed someone else that night."

"That's all?"

"That's all."

They started to eat their meal, and Chika announced, "I never wanted to confuse you or hurt you. I'm not even sure how it all happened, but I will say, I don't regret it. You're one of my best friends, and although it has never been that way between us, I feel like…"

Waving him off, she smiled at him, "I know, and I feel the same." She may feel guilty for what happened, but after seeing Chika again, after thinking long and hard about everything, she did not regret their night together. It was something she would cherish well into the future. And she also had a feeling that he would become the stick that future lovers would be measured by.

Their evening started out what a chasm of awkwardness between them, and even though some of the awkwardness remained, everything felt somewhat settled…kind of. They were by no means at 100%, but they believed with time they would eventually get there, and maybe one day they would be able to be around each other without memories flooding their brains and causing them to blush…maybe. Even if they couldn't, they needed to learn how to deal with their emotions because regardless if they gave up their friendship or not, they would always find themselves in the same room at one gathering or another. And besides, they were adults, they could move past this like the true grown-ups they were.

Walking Haruhi back to her room that night, Chika found himself breathing in her scent, admiring how her skirt hugged her curves, and how her hips swayed. He knew he shouldn't be taking in the sights, so to speak, but he couldn't help it. After their night together, she had suddenly turned into more of a woman – not that she wasn't before – and he was a simple man with simple desires – not that he would act on them.

Haruhi herself was having an internal war. Maybe it was his cologne or his clothes or the way the light made his eyes shine, but she wanted him still. Her desire had not waned and if anything, it was ramping up with each step they took towards her room. She thought about telling him not to escort her, however, since he was staying in the same hotel, it was kind of hard to kick him out of the elevator. The close quarters did nothing but make her want him more. She could feel the wetness pooling between her legs and imagined him driving into her as she leaned against the wall in the small room. The moment the doors opened, she practically leaped out of the confined space.

Again, she could have told him that he didn't need to escort her to her room, but her voice didn't work, her mouth felt dry, and she couldn't bring herself to say anything. She was like an addict with her drug of choice right there in front of her, taunting her, luring her in. What had happened to her? One night with him and already she craved him like a parched person craved water. It was utterly shameful. Shameful? Yes, maybe, but she wanted him again.

And that was what the problem was. He was her friend. She shouldn't lust after him in this manner, especially because he was already engaged to be married. Why then, couldn't she stop herself?

Reaching her door, she used her keycard to open it and then spun around to tell him goodnight, but her words got caught in her throat. Her breathing sped up, becoming harsher and harder. If she wasn't leaning against the door jam, she might have fallen.

He craved her, like he longed to beat his brother, but even more so. Haruhi was like his lifeline right now. Maybe he shouldn't have walked her back to her room, however, it was too late now. He could either turn around, walk back to the elevator, and go up to his own room, which would mean he would be taking care of his own needs tonight, or he could throw caution to the wind and give into his desires.

With a growl deep in his throat, Chika rushed forward, pressed his lips to hers and pushed her into the room, slamming the door behind them. They may regret this later, but for now, they could relish each other, worshipping each other's bodies. And this time, alcohol could not be blamed.

She squeaked in surprise, but did not attempt to push him away. She knew if she really protested, if she gave him even the smallest push, he would release her, however, that was the last thing she wanted him to do. The burning ache low in her belly needed to be satisfied and her hands were not enough, a vibrator didn't feel right…she needed him.

Their kisses were sloppy and saliva covered their chins and lips, their tongues did battle for dominance. Tonight was all about satisfying their carnal needs and that was all. This was not gentle or sweet, but rough, rushed, and powerful.

Unable to undo her skirt, Chika pulled back breathlessly and asked, "Do you have another suit?"

"Yeah, why?" She asked as she nipped at his chin.

He never answered, just ripped the skirt from her body. Luckily, the buttons on her shirt were being more cooperative and only one article of clothing was damaged.

Haruhi's hands seemed to have more dexterity. She managed to undo her buttons and his, and take off both of their shirts before they ended up in the trash like her skirt would. Just as she was about to reach for his belt though, he stopped her. Her tilted back and she asked, "Why?"

"Because if you touch me right now, I'm liable to cum in your hand." His lips attacked hers again before she could protest and he wrapped his arms around her waist so she could wrap her legs around his hips and carried her to the bed. They fell upon it together, and his hardness dug into her wetness. Both groaned.

"Oh god!" She moaned.

He smirked, "Not quite, but maybe one of these days." Why had he said that? It sounded stupid, but he didn't care right now. The only thing he cared about was satisfying both of them.

Pulling down her panties, she was now completely naked for his perusal, and he loved what lay before him. Had she always been this thing? Were her curves always so feminine? Even on the night of his brother's wedding? Granted, he had been drunk that night, so he didn't do much looking, but still.

He scooted down her body, his mouth kissing her flesh here and there until it reached the apex between her thighs. Sticking his tongue out, he gave it a tentative lick and taste, and hearing her suck in her breath, he pressed harder against her clit, sucking it and bringing her ever closer to the precipice. Using his hand, he separated her folds and jammed two fingers in causing her to buck and cry out as juice flooded his chin and mouth. He had already sent her over the edge once, and he wasn't done with her yet.

"Chika, now. In me, now!" She ordered, needing to feel his hardness and length within her.

"Your wish is my command," he told her as he lifted himself over her, lining up his dick with her hold and thrust forward hard and fast, seating himself to the hilt in one go. Damn she felt good. His length was surrounded by her heat, her muscles were still contracting from her orgasm and squeezing him. He wasn't sure how long he would last, and he didn't care. Right now, in this moment, all he felt was the greatest pleasure of his life.

Pulling out to where only his tip remained in her, he thrust forward again. In and out. Hard and fast, as if he was sawing her in half with his dick. Both of them were sweating and grunting, pressing forward towards their climaxes. It didn't take long for Haruhi to climax again since she was already sensitive from her first one, and as soon as Chika felt those muscles squeezing him, threatening to choke him, he felt his balls contract and his own release rush through him.

He spasmed over her a couple of times before falling on top of Haruhi. Both of them were having a hard time catching their breath, and he couldn't lift himself up just yet, but they were both at least temporarily sated. It was probably a good thing that the fire alarm remained quiet for the time being.

Why had this happened again? Who knew? They could question it and feel guilty later, for now, they would take what they needed from each other and deal with the consequences tomorrow or another day.

Pushing him off of her, Haruhi rose up over him and grabbed his member with her hands and started pumping it as she kissed him. It didn't take long before it started to grow in her hand, and when it seemed his dick was ready, she threw one leg over Chika and sank down on his length. Absorbing the pleasure. She needed more. Maybe she was already addicted to him…or at least a part of him.

Neither Chika nor Haruhi got much sleep that night, but in the early morning hours, they both finally succumbed to exhaustion. And when Haruhi woke up that morning, her friend was gone. On his pillow lay a rose and a note. He had gone home. The temporary insanity had diminished.

He said he would call her later, but what would he say? Something inside her feared the worst. How had everything gotten so screwed up so quickly?

For Chika, he didn't know what to think or feel about everything. He went to Okinawa for answers and left more confused than when he arrived. What now?


	7. Set in Stone

**A/N: I received some awesome news today. My Twilight FF Meetings, Memories, and Destiny was nominated for top ten finished Twilight FF of August. If you would like to vote for me, I would greatly appreciate it. The link is www dot twifanfictionrecs dot com. You can vote once a day per device. THANK YOU! I know that this is an Ouran story, but since some of you read all genres and I'm not below just asking for the votes. LOL. Also, if you have not seen, I have completed a two shot for Tamaki/Haruhi entitled Against All Odds, and a one shot for Kyoya/Haruhi entitled Coffee IV. Check them out if you would like. For this story…what is going to happen now? For those of you who want to know more about Chika's fiancée, you will get a bigger glimpse in this chapter. Enjoy!**

Chapter 7 – Set in Stone

Everything was more than a little screwed up. Not only had he slept with Haruhi after his brother's wedding – even if very little sleep had actually occurred – but he slept with her a second time and this time he hadn't been nine sheet to the wind. His mind had fully been engaged and he knew exactly what he was doing…in the sense that he had purposely chosen to have sex with her again. And this time…it was even better than he remembered the last time; however, instead of her sneaking away before he woke up, he left her sleeping in her hotel room.

What the hell had he been thinking? Haruhi was too precious a person to just have a one night stand or to slip into the role of fuck buddy. And then there was the fact that he was engaged! Haruhi didn't deserve to be the other woman or the mistress. She deserved to have someone love her, promise her forever, and then to have someone dedicate his life to making her happy.

The air was suddenly taken out of his sails. He couldn't do that for her. Why did it hurt more than it should? Why did feel like someone had taken a katana and slashed it across his chest? This was Haruhi. Just a friend, a commoner girl with average appearance and features. No one special. No one…she was also one of the first people outside of his family that he felt like he could truly trust. She always gave it to him straight and he was able to confide in her unlike anyone before, and that included his cousin, Satoshi. She had brown eyes that seemed to be able to look into the very heart and soul of those around her, captivating almost everyone she met.

Staring up at his ceiling, he inwardly groaned. What was wrong with him? He was acting like an idiot with a crush. No! No! No! He couldn't be, shouldn't be having feelings for another woman. He was engaged to be married and according to his father, the wedding would take place in four short weeks. Why?

When his plane had landed and he stepped out of the airport terminal, he had been "greeted" by three of his father's men. According to them, they were there to pick him up and take him to a meeting with the patriarch of the Haninozuka family. The moment they made their announcement and surrounded him, escorting him to the car, Chika knew it would be bad news…and he had been right.

 ** _Flashback…_**

 _Pulling up to the Haninozuka mansion, Chika got out of the car followed by his father's thugs...I mean men. It was almost as if they were prepared for him to bolt, as one trailed behind and the other two flanked his sides. Even if he had wanted to, he wasn't going anywhere. Although, if he knew what was coming, maybe he would have thought better._

 _They stopped outside of his father's office and one of the men knocked. When they were given permission to enter, Chika opened the door and walked in, the men staying outside so that he faced his father alone. "Father, I understand you wanted to see me," he stated calmly. This put it mildly, and considering how red his father's face was, he knew this was about to get ugly._

 _"_ _Yasuchika Haninozuka, you are the second son," Yorihisa began. "When your brother wanted to marry Reiko, I allowed it because you did the honorable thing and stepped forward to take on your brother's duty. I was proud of you for that."_

 _Chika remained silent because he wasn't exactly sure where his father was going with this._

 _"_ _However, I am disappointed by reports that you have chosen to pursue a relationship with Haruhi Fujioka."_

 _Had his trysts been discovered? His nerves increasing and on the verge of an anxiety attack, he asked, "What do you mean, father?"_

 _"_ _I mean, you were glued to her side at the wedding and I was informed that you flew to Okinawa to see her! This is unacceptable!" He roared._

 _The second son released a mental sigh of relief being careful to keep all physical reaction hidden (Kyoya would have been proud), "Father, if you have not been informed - although I am very certain you know -_ _Haruhi has been spurned by the Hitachiin family. In fact, at the wedding Hikaru and Kaoru did everything they could to cut her down to size. Satoshi and I stayed close to her in order to keep them at bay. She is a good friend of Mitsukuni and this family, and I felt that he would have wanted her at the wedding. Due to the Hitachiin involvement however, she considered abstaining from the festivities. As for Okinawa, there was a problem that I needed to discuss with her and I trust her legal mind more than anyone else." He felt low for lying, not because he was lying about his reasons for seeing her, but he felt like he was betraying her for some reason._

 _"_ _While I will agree that she has a brilliant legal mind, you need to be aware of the image you are portraying. You have a fiancée and will be married soon."_

 _"_ _My wedding isn't for another year," crossing his arms over his chest, he tried to sound almost bored._

 _"_ _Four weeks."_

 _"_ _Excuse me?"_

 _"_ _I have recently met with Kobayashi-sama and we have decided that it would be best to move the date of the wedding forward. I will advise you to keep your distance from Haruhi Fujioka going forward so that your new in-laws do not get the wrong impression. They must already think ill of us for changing the groom, but they were accommodating and we do not want to anger them. They are important business partners."_

 _"_ _Hai, father," Chika quickly agreed. His heart was racing and it felt like the bottom had fallen out of the…well, the world. He was falling and couldn't grab anything. Clearing his throat, he tried to sound calm, "When do I meet my future bride?"_

 _"_ _You will meet her at the altar on your wedding day as previously planned."_

 _"_ _I thought we were going to have an omiai first."_

 _"_ _No longer."_

 _"_ _Father…"_

 _"_ _Do you have any complaints?"_

 _"_ _No, father."_

 _"_ _Good. You did this for your brother and your family. I suggest you remember where your duty lies."_

 _"_ _Hai, father."_

 _Yorihisa wasn't a monster. He could see that his youngest son was struggling, and part of him wanted to comfort his child, to tell him it would all work out and that he would be okay, but he didn't. "Go to your room and stay there for now."_

 _"_ _Hai, father," Chika mumbled before walking out of his father's office and straight to his own room, shutting the door softly behind him and falling onto his bed._

 ** _End flashback…_**

Life got more complicated this afternoon, and he wasn't exactly sure how it had happened because in truth, nothing had changed except the date of his nuptials. Now in just four short weeks, he would take a wife and his life would no longer be his own…not that it wasn't currently that way. He was a product of elite society. The children were bred to be heirs or be married off for partnerships, to increase the family's prominence or wealth, and to be movable statues for parents to show off.

Oh, Chika knew his parents loved him and his brother, even if his father wasn't the best at showing any kind of affection. Yorihisa Haninozuka wanted his sons to be excellent in martial arts, to make the Haninozuka name proud, and both of his sons had accomplished that feat. There wasn't really any hugging from his father, but his mother had always been there when he skinned his knee or got hurt, and she had always been quick to kiss the booboo or give him a hug when needed. Still, when he or Hunny needed something, wanted advice, or had trouble, both the Haninozuka patriarch and matriarch were there to rush to their sons' sides. Yes, the siblings were loved even if outsiders didn't always agree or see it for themselves.

The whispers that were spread about the elite circle were that the Haninozuka boys were trained in a Spartan lifestyle, that they were taught to hit before they were taught to hug, and there wasn't an ounce of love between the members of the family. Of course one only needed to look at Hunny to know all of those rumors weren't true. While they were trained from a young age, it wasn't exactly a Spartan lifestyle; and while it did take a while to accomplish, the brothers were actually friends. They might not be the touchy feely family that some were, but then again most familes in the elite circles couldn't claim a lot of love between them to begin with. A sad fact in the upper echelon.

Would he join them? Would he be stuck in a loveless marriage? He wasn't sure if he could love this girl, but he wanted to be friends with her and respect her. Was it possible? What if he hated her? What if she was just like his brother? Chills wracked his body. He might love his brother and accept him, but he didn't have to live with him 24/7 now. This girl would be his wife, and he didn't think he could handle two people that acted just like Mitsukuni Haninozuka. That would be a nightmare.

His thoughts turned back to Haruhi. Would she be mad that he left without waking her? Would she hate him now? He needed to figure out exactly what he wanted…and he didn't have much time left. One thing for sure, he couldn't seem to get her off of his mind, nor did he want to. The nights he spent with her were some of the best, and it was more than the sex. Laying down with her in his arms, he felt almost complete. It was a feeling he had never experienced before.

In his current state of mind, he couldn't marry another, but he wasn't exactly sure how he could get out of it. It seemed his future was set in stone. He chuckled, "Kyoya would probably say something like, 'Stone can still be blown up with dynamite.' Tamaki would try to find another way to move the stone. He might charge it and ram a hole in it. Takashi would pick it up and throw it over a cliff, or push it. Mitsukuni…he'd probably kick and turn it to dust. Satoshi would probably attack it with a shinai and change the features. Maybe stone isn't as permanent as I thought." His eyes lids dropped and he fell asleep thinking how he could change or destroy a stone future.

 ** _Elsewhere…_**

Amaterasu Kobayashi heard nothing that was being said around her. Everyone was talking at once and it sounded more like a loud buzzing than it did an actual conversation. After learning that her wedding would take place in four weeks instead of a year, her body shut down. Four weeks? Four weeks to come to terms with the fact she would be marrying someone a year younger than her? Someone who would be her superior because he was her husband and a man? Impossible, and yet, she had no choice.

Her fiancée was supposed to be Mitsukuni Haninozuka, he was shorter, but older than she was; and while she wasn't exactly happy with an arranged marriage, it had been ingrained into her that this was her duty from infancy. She was only a couple months old when the marriage contract between the two families had been signed, and thus her life had been planned from virtually the beginning and she had no choice about what she wanted or what she would do.

And then Mitsukuni had found someone he loved and wanted to back out of the engagement, but her father had been adamant that the wedding continue. In place of him, his little brother, Yasuchika, stepped forward and offered himself up as a sacrifice, and her father had accepted even though Yasuchika was only a second son. To him, either son would work because it would secure the partnership and the future of the Kobayashi name, family, and business. In terms of best family to marry into, the Haninozuka was in the top five in Japan.

To her, she couldn't care less. She was a romantic at heart and had her own dreams she wanted to accomplish – like finding love – but it was more than that. She wanted to learn. After finishing high school at Lobelia, she had won a full scholarship to Harvard in the United States so that she could get her premed degree and then attend their medical school. Her father did not let her attend because it was her duty to see to her husband and his needs. According to her father, her husband would not need someone who was a doctor or busy with a career, and who would not be able to take care of her family or handle social engagements. She only needed to serve the Haninozuka family. Was she a maid or a wife?

Was it wrong to want more out of life than what she was getting? She had tried to compromise and asked if she could attend medical school at the University of Tokyo (Todai). He denied her request. Again, she should not be a doctor when she had wifely duties to attend to, however, he compromised and allowed her to get a degree in political science with a minor in literature since she would need to understand current events and the arts. "So gracious of him," she mumbled sarcastically under her breath, but no one paid attention to her.

Wifely duties? UGH! She wanted to take something and throw it! This was not the life she wanted! And now she was surrounded by her mother, a wedding planner and her assistant, and other people making decisions about her wedding, her future, her new life. She could do nothing, but sit there, smile, look pretty, and agree to everything because she had no other choice.

What about true love? Finding your own path in life? She wanted to find that one man who would sweep her off of her feet and when he kissed her electricity would shoot through her body. Up till now, she had yet to be kissed and the only boys she knew were family. So now she was unable to attend medical school and would have to marry a man she probably had zero chemistry with. Granted he was cute – she had managed to see a picture of him in a magazine – however, he wasn't what she was looking for. She wasn't sure what **it** was, but she was sure she would know it when she saw it. If she passed by Yasuchika on the street, she wouldn't give him the pleasure of a second glance.

The buzzing was getting louder and more annoying. Everything felt like it was closing in on her and she needed out. Standing up quickly, she announced, "Excuse me." Before anyone could stop her, she ran up to her room, slammed the door shut, and locked it. Climbing out the window, she jumped into the tree and climbed higher. Out here, they wouldn't find her for hours and she could be by herself. Maybe one of these days she would get the courage to climb down and run away.


	8. I Need Her

**A/N: Well, things are not as cut and dry as what we thought they were and a wrench has been thrown into the plans. We still don't know who Satoshi is plotting with, although many of you have excellent guesses. That's all I'll say about that for now, but now you've met Chika's future fiancé and it appears that neither of them are exactly happy about this arrangement. Enjoy the new chapter!**

Chapter 8 – I Need Her

Chika was getting anxious. He had left Okinawa two days ago and had tried calling Haruhi at least a dozen times, leaving messages each time, and as of yet, he still had not received a return call. Where was she? Had leaving her like he had messed up everything? Could they no longer even be friends? His father had forbid him from seeing her or associating with her, but Chika couldn't leave things the way they were. He needed to talk to her, and he was starting to feel desperate despite only a little more than 48 hours passing since he had last seen her.

Confined to the Haninozuka estate, the second son had not been allowed to leave his family home since the moment he had returned, and therefore, he could not pursue her like he had the last time. Why hadn't she called back? This wasn't like Haruhi, but then again, this whole situation was a cluster fuck of the first degree, and even he had to admit that after their time together, nothing would ever be the same. Something had changed within him and he could no longer look at her as just plain old Haruhi Fujioka, friend and confidante. In his eyes, she was now a strong, intelligent, and beautiful woman. No longer merely cute or passable on the pretty scale, he saw her with new eyes, and she was someone he would be proud to have at his side for the rest of his life.

The day he met Haruhi, he should have known nothing would ever be easy in his life, that his life was going to be forever changed; and yet, even if he had known, Chika doubted he would have done anything differently. Haruhi had a way of connecting with the people around her, an inherent gift that made everyone around her want to better themselves…a gift she was no doubt oblivious to and would deny if asked directly about it. With Haruhi, one always knew where he/she stood and she didn't put on airs, which was a refreshing difference when compared to many of the girls he had met in his short lifetime.

After the first night with her, his desire for her grew – a desire he never knew he had burning beneath the surface. What had changed? Nothing that he was aware of, except the fact they had sex – amazing, mind blowing sex – and he still blamed Satoshi for things transpiring as they had, but then again, maybe he should be thanking his cousin. After he killed him, of course. Chika was still in a bind though, and that had not changed. His wedding had been moved up and every time one of the hands on the clock moved, he was reminded that his own time was ticking away. If he wanted to act, he had to be sure this is what he wanted beyond a shadow of a doubt. There could be no maybes or doing things halfway. There would be no second chances, and he had to accept that this could very well label him as an outcast in his family. Was he ready to be disowned? Was Haruhi worth that? What if she didn't want him? Was he still prepared to deal with the consequences? And then there was the matter of their friends. He didn't really care one iota about Hikaru or Kaoru, but the others mattered…to a point. Would they be opposed? He had a feeling Satoshi had a hand in his drunken state at Hunny's wedding. Did that mean he had been trying to play matchmaker? Why? Did it matter? The fact is, what was done was done and nothing could change it, and now he had a choice to make. Would he take leap and follow his heart, or would he follow his duty?

Regardless of the consequences he would face, Chika knew one thing: he could not marry someone else when another woman occupied his every thought. It wouldn't be fair to either person. That being said, getting that other woman on the phone was proving to be a truly difficult task, however, he knew ways to correct that problem. Haruhi would be pissed off, but she would eventually get over it. She had learned long ago to let go of her anger and irritation when it came to someone she had labeled as a "damn rich bastard".

Pulling out his phone, he knew of only one person he could call for assistance, "Kyoya, I need help."

"Yasuchika, if I can be of assistance, I will. What do you need?" Kyoya inquired politely. He had a feeling he knew what this call was in reference to, and he had already started working on the problem. According to Satoshi, Chika had been sequestered in his bedroom and had not been allowed to leave. Additionally, with the wedding date moved up, it put a slight crinkle in a few plans.

"I can't get in touch with Haruhi."

"Is that all? I believe she is still in Okinawa for business." It would not do for the Shadow King to show his full hand…not just yet.

There was a slight pause where completely silence filled the void on the phone call, and then Chika asked, "Have you heard about my wedding?"

"Yes, Satoshi informed us. Does your brother know?"

"I have no idea what Mitsukuni knows and doesn't know. Since he's on his honeymoon, I didn't want to call and bother him."

"A wise choice."

"Look, Kyoya. I know you have your sneaky ways of finding things out. I need you to find Haruhi for me."

"Why?"

"What do you mean 'why'? I need to talk to her!" Chika could feel his irritation climbing.

Smirking, Kyoya pushed up his glasses. He could hear how perturbed his friend was getting, but he wasn't done pushing the younger man's buttons just yet, "While I understand that she is a close friend of yours, just as she is with the others in our little clique – minus those idiotic twins – you are about to get married and should focus on your fiancée. Haruhi is still dealing with the fallout from her divorce and does not need any further complications."

Chika blinked once and then again before he asked in a strangled voice, "What do you know?"

"What makes you think I know anything?"

What makes him think Kyoya knows something? Because he was the damn Shadow King of Ouran and seemed to always know everything! But Chika took a deep breath and did not give into his temper...even if he was on the verge of doing just that. "Kyoya, you are the one that seems to know what is going to happen before it even does. So I will ask again, what exactly do you know? What has Satoshi told you?"

"Does it really matter what I know and what I don't know?" There were times when Kyoya truly loved messing with people, and this was one of those times.

That stopped Chika for a moment and he finally said, "I guess it doesn't, but I still want to talk to her."

He just had to press him a little more, "Wouldn't it be better if you allowed her space to figure things out on her own, to move on with her life? You should focus on your upcoming marriage."

"I don't want to."

"Excuse me?"

"I don't want to marry a stranger. I volunteered because I didn't think I would ever find someone and because I wanted my brother to be able to be with the person he loved. I never looked at Haruhi as more than a friend, but…" Chika stopped and ran a hand through his hair. His voice grew softer as he said, "But, things have changed."

"Changed? Yasuchika, if this is just a passing fancy - rebellion, if you will - don't drag her into this. She has been through enough."

"I know she has!" Shouted the younger man. Breathing deeply, he sighed, "I know she has. I saw how Hikaru and Kaoru and the rest of the Hitachiin family treated her after she announced she wanted a divorce. I watched idly by as her dark circles grew and she lost weight during the time she was married. We all saw how she pretended to be happy even though she was unhappy. And when we would ask her what was wrong, she would always blame her career. We let her be and supported her from the background, and when things fell apart, we were all there for her. She has tried to pick up the pieces and has done an admirable job of it, but she still suffers at the hand of Hikaru and his brother. It pains her that everything fell apart and she wishes it was all different. I know all of that because we've talked about the fallout before."

"She talked to you about all of that?" This was news to Kyoya because he didn't think Haruhi would open up to anyone about it. "What did she say about her marriage?"

"Nothing. She would never blemish Hikaru or talk bad about him. That's just the kind of person she is."

The Shadow King was still trying to piece together the whole story about why the divorce came to be, but so far, the only thing he knew was that it was Haruhi's fault – and since that came from Hikaru, Kyoya took everything said with a grain of salt. "That is true. She is a remarkable woman." He pushed up his glasses again, "Be that as it may, why are you so determined to find her? What about your wedding? What has changed?"

For Chika, everything had changed. Seeing someone walk down the aisle who wasn't Haruhi, turned his stomach – not that he was ready for marriage to anyone and that included Haruhi, but he couldn't seem to turn his back on his best friend and he can't forget the nights they spent together. It was more than just physical though. Looking back on all of the time they spent together, she understood him like no one else. They didn't always agree, but they had enough respect for each other to listen to each other's opinions, to debate them occasionally, and to accept the fact that they could agree to disagree on several things. She had somehow turned into one of the most beautiful women he knew – both inside and out – and he had fallen for her. How? He wasn't sure how any of it happened. Before the wedding, she was nothing more than a friend and was never going to change; and then they crossed that line and suddenly, he could no longer see her as just a friend. This was more than a mere passing fancy. This was a permanent change because he never wanted his feelings to go back to what they once were. He knew they never could. To answer Kyoya, Chika said, "Everything's changed. I need Haruhi."

"And the wedding?"

"I'll probably be disowned and I'll definitely disgrace my family, but that doesn't matter to me any longer."

"I see. In that case, I will arrange a meeting between you and Haruhi."

Unamused mirth escaped from Chika in the form of a bark, "I'm not allowed to leave my house as far as I know, probably not without an escort, nor am I allowed to see Haruhi again. I've been trying to call her, but she isn't returning my calls."

"Please do not worry about the particulars, I will arrange everything."

"When it comes to you… yeah, okay. I'll wait to hear from you."

"Excellent. I will be in touch."

Something still bothered the younger man, "Hey Kyoya?"

"Yes?"

"Did you put the idea in Satoshi's head?"

"Idea? What do you mean?"

"It almost seemed like he was trying to push Haruhi and I together at my brother's wedding. Did you put the idea in his head?"

"I did not."

"Oh. Okay, I'll just wait to hear back from you."

"I will be in touch." Kyoya hung up the phone, a smirk plastered on his face and instructed his driver, "Drive to the Kobayashi estate. I do not want to be later for my appointment."

 ** _Elsewhere…_**

"Satoshi, Mori, while I appreciate the sudden visit, why are we out in the middle of nowhere? I was going to be back in Tokyo next week. We could have gotten together then," Haruhi grumbled as she sat in an old library. Her cell phone had no signal and she felt like she had been cut off from the world for the last couple of days. Her friends had arrived hours after Chika had left her, grabbed her, and brought her to this hideaway from everything. Had Chika tried to call her? She had no clue. "I really need to get back to work and everything."

"From what I hear, you're on vacation for a week," Satoshi retorted. He had been instructed to take her somewhere remote and await further instructions, and he felt guiltier than he had when he got her and his best friend drunk at the wedding reception.

Placing his hand on her head, Mori smiled, "You needed to take a break from everything. You are too stressed."

How did Mori always seem to know? Sighing, she nodded, "All right, but just for a couple of days." It would at least allow her to figure out her feelings, and that meant possibly coming to terms with another broken heart. Why did it seem as if this time, it would hurt more than any other time in the past?


	9. Conspiring and Dealing

**A/N: Lots of guesses about why Mori and Satoshi took Haruhi away and about who is Satoshi working with in order to push Haruhi and Chika together. I will say this, some things may surprise you and others will not. Enjoy the new chapter!**

Chapter 9 – Conspiring and Dealing

"Kobayashi-sama, if you will agree to this, I can guaranty that your standing with the Haninozuka family will not be compromised. She will benefit our family hospital greatly once she is done with her training, and you will have both my family and the Haninozuka behind you. It is the best of both worlds. Do you not agree with that assessment?" Kyoya gave his best host smile and slid a piece of paper across the table towards the other man.

The patriarch of the Kobayashi family could not disagree with anything the young Ootori said. Through this agreement, he would be able to align himself with another powerful family – one he had not believed possible before - keep his alliance with the Haninozuka, and his daughter would stop bugging him about medical school. It was a win/win; and unlike the agreement with the Haninozuka, this one was ironclad and in writing. Kyoya could not go back on his word. His mouth was watering and he was ready to sign on the dotted line, but he couldn't show too much eagerness.

Amaterasu Kobayashi watched as her father bargained and swindled away her future and freedom. She felt like nothing more than cattle or property instead of a daughter. Yes, this would give her father more to brag about in their social circle, but what about her? Granted, this Kyoya Ootori was allowing her to go to medical school, something she wanted more than almost anything, however, her future would still belong to someone else. She would still have to follow direction from someone else and be unable to make her own decisions. And what about this Kyoya Ootori? She had heard about him, heard how many girls swooned over him and tried to trap him into marriage, and yet, no one had succeeded. To her, he seemed pompous, arrogant, and a little too full of himself for her liking. He expected to get his way and nothing less would do. She instantly disliked him, but she didn't have much choice…unless she wanted to run away. It was either him or Yasuchika, and at least with Kyoya, she would be allowed a few years to come up with a plan of escape; and it wasn't like her opinion mattered anyway.

"Have you already discussed this with Yorihisa Haninozuka?" The patriarch inquired.

Smiling, Kyoya pushed his glasses up and the lenses caught the light, "Let's just say this meeting is merely a formality." The girl whose future they were discussing snorted with disdain drawing his attention to her. She had long straight black hair and he could see a twig tangled in her tresses. With large grey eyes and an hourglass figure, she wasn't hard on the eyes and he could already picture her losing her composure in bed. Deep in her eyes, he could see a passion and firing burning brightly, as well as the hate she felt towards him. This might actually be more fun than he originally anticipated.

"Excellent!" Kobayashi gushed and quickly signed the contract before him.

Her eyes grew large. With the sweep of a pen, her future had changed once again and her life was still not her own. She turned her glaring eyes upon Kyoya. He was her new enemy, and if he thought she would be a prim and proper woman, he had another thing coming to him.

 ** _Elsewhere…_**

"You know Taka-bro, you didn't have to come," Satoshi stated as he peered out the window, watching as Haruhi moved about the backyard for a stroll. She had been slightly restless and melancholy since they picked her up, and he had a feeling he knew the cause. Chika. What had his cousin done? Why had he, himself, gotten involved? Well, he did because he felt he didn't have much of a choice in the matter, but he was questioning if it had been the right thing to do; and each day that passed, his concern for his friends grew. Now with Chika on the verge of getting married, it felt as if everything was getting out of hand. Should he trust his partners – more like dictators – or should he spill his guts and confess, taking action himself? No, if he did that, he might counteract other things that had been put into motion by his partners in crime.

It wasn't that he didn't trust them, their judgement, or believe in their cause. He did. In fact, he wanted a positive outcome for all of their plotting and conspiracy; however, just because you wanted something to happen did not mean that it would.

Satoshi could remember when Hikaru and Haruhi started to date. Something always felt a little off, but he pushed it to the side and tried to forget about it because she was happy; and then when they announced their engagement, that same feeling came back. Once again, he pushed it to the side because he believed she was happy. He never truly believed that she and Hikaru belonged together or meant to be. When he looked at Hunny and Reiko, he knew his cousin had found the right person to spend the rest of his life with. It wasn't the same feeling with Hikaru and Haruhi, and thus when their marriage fell apart, he hadn't been surprised. The Hitachiin attitude kind of surprised him, but not the fall out. And then one night ideas were planted and plots were hatched, which lead to him setting up his best friend with the former secret princess of the Host Club; and as odd as the pairing sounded, he thought they were perfect for each other. They just needed a spark and then the gasoline would ignite.

But looking at her now, seeing the confusion and hurt in her eyes, Satoshi wondered if they had done something they shouldn't. Haruhi deserved to find happiness and so did Chika, however, if the conspirators made one wrong move, pushed too hard, someone might get burned, and this time Haruhi might lose much more than just the twins.

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Mori said, "She is strong. Things will work out." He could see the indecision and hesitancy on his brother's face. No, he did not have to come with his sibling, did not have to help kidnap Haruhi, but he wanted to. Things had been set into motion and there was no stopping it now, and he wanted to be sure the people closest to him would land on their feet. After his brother confessed everything and told him of the plan to take Haruhi away, Mori knew he had to come as well.

"Taka-bro?"

"Hmm."

"What do you think really happened between her and Hikaru? Haruhi wouldn't have gotten the divorce for no reason at all, and I can't believe half of what Hikaru says."

"I don't know, but trust in Haruhi. She always has a good reason for what she does. Have you talked to Yasuchika?"

Nodding, Satoshi's eyes remained fixated on the woman in the garden, "Yeah. He called me earlier, but he doesn't sound too happy about the marriage. He also said something about Haruhi going missing and ignoring him again. Maybe we should let them talk on the phone."

"What did Mitsukuni say?"

"He said no communication will probably be good for them. I don't know how though."

"Then it is up to Haruhi and Yasuchika to take the next step. Patience will yield results."

"You sound as if you're on the side of Mitsukuni and Kyoya."

"No, I am on no side, but I want Haruhi and Yasuchika to be happy. If they truly want to be together, they need to make the next move. Without a strong foundation, a building will crumble, and if everything is forced into place, the building will remain unsteady."

The younger man snickered, "You sound like father."

"He is a wise man," Mori smiled.

"He is, but he and uncle will be mad at us if they realize what we're doing."

"Maybe, but even they can't fight the Fates. Mitsukuni married the person he was meant to and it was not an arranged marriage."

"Only because Yasuchika took on the responsibility himself."

"Yes, but if Mitsukuni was able to find a way out, I believe that Yasuchika can as well…as long as he truly wanted it and if his feelings for Haruhi were more than superficial. Mitsukuni was ready to leave the family and his inheritance in order to marry Reiko, but it did not come down to that because Yasuchika stepped forward. He has grown into an honorable man, and if he feels the same about Haruhi as Mitsukuni did Reiko, then we need not do anything else."

Satoshi thought about what his brother said before agreeing, "I know you're right. I am just worried about Haruhi. She is so fragile."

"She is not so fragile. She is strong and will overcome like she has many times before."

"And if not?"

"Then we will be there for her to support her and help her to overcome. That is what friends do for one another."

"Hikaru didn't," the younger sibling grumbled under his breath before he could stop himself, cringing when he realized he at uttered that aloud.

Nodding, Mori said, "Hikaru is still selfish and in many ways has not matured. We also don't know the whole story."

"I know."

"Everything will work out the way it needs to," the older brother repeated before walking out of the room to go check on Haruhi, who had just returned to the house. Internally, he crossed his fingers and said a prayer that he was right about everything he said. After being at the house for two and a half days, even he could see that Haruhi was out of sorts and seemed to avoid talking about Chika at all, but he also noticed how she seemed to perk up and listen more intently when his name was mentioned.

 ** _Haninozuka estate…_**

Chika had been confined to his room since he had returned from Okinawa, and he was starting to wear a hole through his floor from all of the pacing he was doing. Kyoya said he would arrange a meeting with Haruhi, but how, when, where? And what about his fiancée? His once simple and peaceful – sort of peaceful – life felt like it was a first rate disaster now, but none of that would matter as long as Haruhi would be at his side. Everything would be worth it.

And when his cell phone started to ring, he dove for the phone and answered, "Haruhi?"

"No, I apologize, but it is Kyoya," the voice on the other end sounded somewhat amused. Things were working out better than he had hoped.

"Oh. Kyoya. Were you able to talk to Haruhi?"

"I have arranged an overnight bachelor party for you and your father has agreed to it. Please pack a bag and be ready to leave in an hour."

"But Kyoya…"

"I'm sorry, but I do have to go since I need to pick up Tamaki and your brother. He is going to put off the remainder of his honeymoon until after your own wedding. I will see you in an hour," the Shadow King disconnected the call and smirked, staring out the window. Everything was falling into place.

His own wedding? Did that mean he would not be able to talk to Haruhi? Chika couldn't and wouldn't accept it. When Kyoya came and he was able to escape his prison, he would demand to be taken to Haruhi, and if he needed to, he would use any means necessary. His eyes fell upon his shuriken and he quickly grabbed them, hiding them in his pants. Any means necessary.


	10. Truth, Doubts, and Decisions

**A/N: In this chapter, the twins are back and you will get a taste of their side of the story... maybe more. Enjoy!**

Chapter 10 – Truths, Doubts, and Decisions

Shakespeare once wrote, "To be or not to be, that is the question…", however, Kaoru felt it the question was more like, "What to do and what not to do? What to believe and what not to believe?"

Since the womb, he has stood beside his brother, taking his side, and helping him through life…sometimes forcing him into situation that would better him – like when Kaoru forced Hikaru out on a date with Haruhi in Karuizawa or when he sided with his parents and convinced Hikaru that he needed to marry Haruhi sooner rather than later… something he was now regretting. What he didn't quite understand, is how everything could have fallen apart so quickly. His brother gave him his side of the story and Kaoru quickly jumped on his side, but now…now he wondered if that had been the right thing to do. As identical twins who for the longest time had only each other to depend on, to confide in, they always backed each other up before taking someone else's side, and this time, something did not sit right with the younger sibling. Something felt off. For the first time, he was questioning his brother's truthfulness and wondering what was Haruhi's side of the story? What was the whole truth?

Haruhi had always been one of his closest friends, and now he missed her. He knew at least part of the blame lie with him and his brother for the chasm that had formed between them, and yet, he also believed that if what Hikaru told him was true, then the biggest guilt lie with her. But the problem was, what was true? Haruhi had been the one to file for divorce first and only stated irreconcilable differences. The Hitachiin lawyers went immediately to work to ensure she didn't get a cent from Hikaru and that she basically only left with the things she brought into the marriage, which wasn't much. The damn blood suckers even tried to force her to pay back anything Hikaru spent on her including the amount he spent on a new wardrobe for her new legal career and compensation for the damages she caused, but Kaoru's elder brother forced them to stop and let it go saying he just wanted to be free.

Time and time again, she had ample opportunity to defend herself, to give her side of events, but she remained silent. When she had been ostracized by the Hitachiin family, when they cut her in public…she still held her head up high and refused to state her case. Surely as a lawyer, she could see how guilty that made her appear. Why? Why did she do it?

When his brother and Haruhi got married, he had some doubts, but he believed they were suited for each other. He needed to because he had stepped aside and buried his own feelings for Haruhi so that his brother could be happy. If he had known a divorce would be in their future, he would have tried to prevent their union instead of supporting it regardless of what the rest of his family wanted.

The problems started shortly after they got back from their honeymoon. It was time for Haruhi to get serious about passing the bar and then completing her yearlong internship, and Hikaru started to design again, but the sketches his brother made lacked originality. They were plain and lacked pizazz. Seeing his brother struggle, Kaoru asked Hikaru what was wrong and was given a sob story about how Haruhi would study at the library until late at night, sometimes not coming home at all and claiming she was at her father's house, and when she started her internship, it had gotten worse. She apparently no longer had any time for him and he believed she was having an affair. His brother also claimed he was afraid of being alone with her because of the way she treats him…especially in the bedroom. It was hard to believe that sweet Haruhi, the natural host who was oblivious to most things, could have changed into the person his brother claimed she was, and so he went over to their house to see for himself, and as Hikaru's complaints grew, so did Kaoru's worry, and he found himself over at the couple's house an increasing amount of time – almost to the point it seemed he had virtually moved into their house.

Every time Kaoru saw her after the wedding, she seemed more and more stressed, and she and Hikaru argued all of the time. She would pull her husband into another room and close the door, but it only muffled the words. She had even kicked Hikaru out of their bedroom when he refused to bring Kaoru into their bedroom for a threesome. It seemed after the wedding, sexual promiscuity had been awakened in her.

The icing on the cake for Kaoru, had been when Hikaru started to show up to the workroom with bruises and injuries. At first he wouldn't confide in his brother, fearful of what would happen to him, but he finally broke down and admitted Haruhi had done it, and she even went so far as to hold a knife to his throat. A nick could be seen where Hikaru had been cut. Kaoru wanted to storm over to the house and confront her, but Hikaru wouldn't let him. And things progressed: more bruises and a broken arm. And when his brother showed up to work with his arm in a cast after being pushed down the stairs, Haruhi filed for divorce.

Faced with the overwhelming proof, Hikaru's family believed him over Haruhi, and the other hosts still had their doubts. Kyoya had even said that the injuries could be self-inflicted. They didn't want to believe Haruhi would do something like that to someone else. Kaoru had sided with his brother, and now…small inklings of doubt started to creep up over the last couple of months, but more so recently after a brief discussion with Kyoya and finding out Hikaru had tried to give her money several times since the divorce and she has refused to accept it each and every time.

And yet Haruhi still has not argued her case since the moment she was accused. Why?

His eyes drifted to his phone. He had picked it up and started to dial her number countless times, only to set it back down without calling. After all this time holding her tongue, he doubted she would say anything to him now. And Hikaru…his brother had been moping about in his room, only attending functions as necessary, drowning himself in alcohol.

Running his hand through his hair, Kaoru glanced upwards and stared at the ceiling, "This is fucked up."

 ** _Elsewhere in the Hitachiin house…_**

Hikaru stumbled over to a side table that house various bottles of varying degrees of colors and grabbed one. He didn't care which one it was or what it tasted like, he just wanted to deaden his senses, his memories, and his emotions. His mother claimed his was in a slump caused by his unfortunate marriage to that slut, Haruhi, but it wasn't. Lie upon lie had been told and now he lived in a fortress he had built with those lies.

At first, he just wanted attention. Haruhi was busy and hardly had time for him, and he wanted to be the center of her universe. He wanted her and his brother, and apparently that had been too much to ask for. She got busier, studied more, and sometimes ignored him. His lies started to grow. And then when she started talking about separating and divorce, he wanted to ruin her, to make it appear as if he had been the only victim. He succeeded in his family's eyes, but not in his friends. They had decided not to side with anyone and to remain friends with her. He had known them longer, and yet, they still wanted to associate with her? Deplorable!

So if that was the case, why was he the one drowning himself in liquor and she was creating a name for herself?

 ** _Morinozuka getaway…_**

For two days she had been walking around trying to decide her next move, and the way Haruhi saw it, she could either roll over and show her belly – much like the way she had with Hikaru – not fighting for what mattered, or she could admit her feelings and fight for her future, for the man she had fallen in love with. Her decision was made and she stormed into the house and found Mori waiting for her, "I need to talk to Chika."

"You've decided?" Mori asked, one corner of his lips tilting up as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Are you prepared?"

"I am."

"It won't be easy."

"I remember you told me once when I was struggling in school that not everything that matters will be easy, but we will cherish them more when we have to fight for it."

His smile grew, "I did, and I still believe that." He grew serious for a moment and looked down before returning his gaze to meet her eyes, "You may have to face past demons and that means talking about what happened with Hikaru."

"I know. It's time I stopped cowering when it comes to them." She paused and studied her friend for a moment before asking, "I never said anything and you guys still refused to believe him. Why?"

"We know the real you. What he was saying didn't match, and there were inconsistencies. You don't have it in you to be abusive like that."

"Thank you, Mori. If it wasn't for the friendship of you and the others, I don't know how I would have managed."

Placing his hand on her head, he told her, "We will always be here for you when you need us. Never doubt that."

"He's right," Satoshi said from behind his brother. "And you deserve to find your own happiness with the right person. Sorry, but that wasn't Hikaru."

Haruhi nodded, "I know."

"And Yasuchika?" The younger Morinozuka questioned hopefully.

Her lips curled into a brilliant smile, "Let's just say, he's different than anyone else I know."

"Good!"

She couldn't help but snicker at his enthusiasm before asking, "Can I have my phone?"

"I'll do you one better…he's on his way. Just be prepared because Tamaki, Kyoya, and Mitsukuni are with him."

"What?"

"Long story, and I think we can save all long stories for when they get here. That way we don't have to repeat anything. Just don't kill me when you find out."

"Find out what?"

"You were played. That's all I'll say, except, I'm not sorry I helped."

"What?"

Mori ruffled her hair again, "Be patient. They will be here soon."

She had so many questions she wanted to ask, however, when Mori gives an order, one tended to follow it. She would wait, but she would get her answers…soon.

 ** _On a plane…_**

Once it seemed as if everyone was settled into their seats of Kyoya's family's private plane, Chika acted. Pulling his shuriken out, he held it up to Tamaki's neck – he was the safest bet since his brother would probably kill him and Kyoya had several tricks up his sleeve that no one could anticipate – and demanded, "I don't want a bachelor party, take me to Haruhi."

Adjusting his glasses, Kyoya smirked, "We'll see. Hunny, would you be so kind?"

Hunny kicked the weapon out of his brother's hand, accidentally nicking Tamaki's neck ever so slightly, and then hit his neck, knocking him out cold. Pushing Chika into his seat, he strapped his sibling in and then turned to his bespectacled friend, "Done." He looked at Tamaki, who had fallen to the floor with his soul floating out of his mouth, "What about Tama-Chan?"

"I suppose we better buckle him in as well. I'll get a Band-Aid for his neck if you will place him in his seat."

Their friend tended to, the plane took off. Next destination: Haruhi.


	11. Plane Ride

**A/N: I realized something when I last updated this story immediately followed by updating Sneaky Love: I cannot update them back to back. LOL. Sneaky Love is a Kaoru/Haruhi story and this story has the twins as…well, you know. I almost wrote Hikaru as a complete ass, and he isn't in that story. So, I am moving Pleasure and Pain up in the rotation and putting a couple stories in between this and Sneaky Love. In the last chapter, you learned Kaoru's POV and also learned what Hikaru had done. There may be more to the story yet. I still have a few surprises for you with this story though. And the conspirators…you may or may not be right. Enjoy the new chapter!**

Chapter 11 – Plane Ride

His head was killing him! It felt as if someone had taken a sledge hammer and used it as target practice…not a pleasant experience at all, and the low hum of something did nothing for the pain.

Groaning, Chika opened his eyes into slits and slowly moved them to and fro. He was on a plane and seated across from him was his older brother and the Shadow King. Pressure on his left arm told him there was someone else with them, but his head hurt too much to think of whom it could be.

"How's your head, Chika-Chan?" Hunny asked smiling. If he were to guess, he would say his brother could use a couple of aspirin or something stronger.

His hand moved to his throbbing appendage and pressed against his forehead. What had happened? And then everything came crashing back: his desire to see Haruhi, holding a shuriken against Tamaki's throat, his brother knocking him out…everything. Once again – and he had not had this particular level of murderous intent since high school – he wanted to kill his brother. And what was this thing leaning on him. Turning his head carefully to the left, he found a mop of blond hair and quickly pushed it off of him, "I'm not your fucking cuddle buddy!" He shouldn't have done that because the quick movement brought with it a sharp stabbing pain. His hands clutching his head, he groaned again.

"I do believe you will be needing this," Kyoya held out his hand, smirking.

"What is it? Poison? Trying to kill me so I don't have to walk down the aisle? No, thank you!" Chika snapped.

"It is nothing more than simple pain pill. A little stronger than your typical over the counter headache medicine, but nothing that will rob you of your senses or knock you out."

Did he risk it and take the pills, and thereby choosing to believe someone nick named the Shadow King for good reason, or did he decline and continue to suffer? It wasn't much of a choice when it came right down to it. Reaching out his hand, he accepted the pill that would bring him relief and threw it in his mouth before he had time to consider the benefits of the alternative.

"Here, Chika-Chan. Drink this," Hunny offered him a bottle of water to wash the pill down with.

He gladly accepted the water and then once again carefully turned towards the blond on his left. Tamaki had fallen against the window and wasn't moving a muscle, "What's wrong with him?" Surely what he had done prior to being knocked unconscious had not caused this sort of damage.

Pushing up his glasses, Kyoya's smile turned almost malicious and grew, "Shortly after take-off, our illustrious leader started to panic, spouting off nonsense about how you weren't suited for marriage and you were not allowed to see his daughter. We felt that it was in everyone's best interest if he was put to sleep for a brief period of time."

"What did you do that for? Isn't he one of your partners in crime?"

"Why would you think that?"

"He's here, isn't he? Therefore, he's a part of your whole scheme!"

Kyoya chuckled, "No."

A chill crawled up Chika's spine and he was suddenly worried, "Where are we going? Where's Haruhi?"

"All in good time."

Reaching around to his back, he tried to grab a shuriken only to find his weapons had been removed.

Hunny announced, "Sorry, Chika-Chan. I confiscated them all."

"What the hell is going on here?!" The younger Haninozuka demanded. To him, it didn't appear as if his brother was sorry at all.

The Shadow King sat back in his seat with an air of supremacy and answered, "I assure you that once we reach our destination, everything…at least most of it, will be revealed."

"You realize your buddy here is drooling all over your plane and hugging a teddy bear?"

"So it would seem."

"This doesn't bother you?"

"Should it?" Kyoya deadpanned. In all honesty, he had seen worse when it came to his best friend.

It was then that Chika realized, this was Kyoya Ootori. The same man who has had to deal with Hunny's nuances since high school…of course he wasn't shocked. "I suppose not," he grumbled looking directly at his older brother with a scowl on his face.

Giggling, Hunny told him, "Don't worry, Chika-Chan. We're taking you to Haru-Chan, but that's all I'm gonna say."

His heart started to speed up, "Really?" His question sounded full of doubt, but he was hopeful and happy.

"Yes. We brought along that blond idiot for cover. We couldn't exactly have a bachelor party without inviting everyone, and therefore, Tamaki had to come as well. It is well known that you are not on bad terms with him, even if you do have the urge to maim him on occasion," the bespectacled man replied.

"Just on occasion?"

"I was being polite," Kyoya smiled. "However, as your brother stated, we are indeed taking you to Haruhi's location. Once we get there, we will all have a nice little discussion."

There was something in his tone of voice that told Chika, arguing would not get him anywhere. If it were up to him, he and Haruhi would go where no one else resided and have their own discussion before they talk to anyone else. "Does Haruhi know?"

"I'm sure Satoshi and/or Mori have informed her of our imminent arrival."

"Satoshi and Takashi? What the hell?"

Hunny smiled again, "Calm down, Chika-Chan. They only took her away for a small break. She needed time and space to think about some things and we needed to know where she would be when you finally made your decision."

"My…?"

"If you weren't willing to throw it all away, we weren't going to help you," the older Haninozuka stated in all seriousness. "Haru-Chan deserves someone who wants to be with her and is willing to fight for her. No one could make that decision for you, but you." Hunny had always had an issue with the Haruhi/Hikaru relationship. It never felt natural and felt more like it had been forced, especially after they got engaged. At the wedding, she seemed happy enough, but hadn't been overly ecstatic or a blushing bride…just rolling with the punches type thing. And then when Hikaru started to speak badly about her, Hunny almost decked him on more than one occasion. Reiko was the light of his life, and he could never imagine talking anything but positive about her. Sure they've had their disagreements, however, it has never made him want to tell everyone how horrible she is/was. That's why nothing ever really sat right with Hunny when Hikaru started spouting his mouth. Even when he showed up with wounds, to him, they looked more self-inflicted. For example, the knife wound on the neck. Based on Haruhi's height to Hikaru's, the wound should have been much lower, unless he was sitting and she was standing, but Hikaru specifically stated that they had both been standing up when they were arguing in the kitchen. And then there was the fact that as Hikaru would drink, his story would change. Not the big "facts", but the little ones that most people would never notice or pick up on, but he had and it pissed him off. In fact, when Haruhi decided on getting a divorce, Hunny wanted to throw a party and had even bought her a cake "to console herself and make her feel better". At least, that's what he told her.

The younger man sat there for a moment before he narrowed his eyes and said, "You said you brought Tamaki for cover, but you didn't bring either Hikaru or Kaoru."

"We did not feel that their presence would be beneficial to the cause. Your family knows that you are not on the best terms with them and ergo, they were not needed for cover. They know nothing of what is happening and we shall endeavor to keep it that way," explained the one and only Shadow King. He did not want those two redheads to know anything until all of the other pieces had been put into place. Hikaru had his chance with the Host Club's secret princess and had ruined it, hurting her in the process. Neither of them deserved her; and if Kyoya had anything to do with it, they would never get another opportunity to hurt her again.

From the beginning, he never believed anything Hikaru said, and when he started to obtain different wounds, Kyoya had his suspicions that everything was fake or self-induced. The twins always had a flare for the dramatic and craved attention. If Haruhi was busy with studying or her career, the bespectacled man would not put it past Hikaru to take a dive or two for sympathy. Oh he believed Hikaru fell down the stairs and broke his arm, Kyoya had the x-rays to prove it was indeed broken, but Haruhi wasn't strong enough to push Hikaru down the stairs on her own, not if he was sober and paying attention. Some of the other wounds, Kyoya doubted. They seemed to be inflicted during times when Haruhi wasn't around. Like for example, she went on a week-long business trip during her internship – a dream for an intern when normally they were not picked for such a task – two days later, Hikaru showed up with a black eye. How? They had all said goodbye to Haruhi at the airport and Hikaru had been wound free.

"You also said that Tamaki doesn't want me near his daughter… What does he know?"

"Absolutely nothing. He has only been informed that we are having a bachelor party weekend of sorts for you. He knew nothing of Haruhi and the only reason he said that is because you demanded to be taken to her. He doesn't even know that you and Haruhi have been…shall we say talking since Hunny's wedding."

All color drained from his face, "How…How did you know? I mean I figured you knew something since this is you we're talking about, but…"

"All in due time. Everything will be explained."

Chika's eyes darted to his brother, "You knew everything too? Otherwise, why would you be waiting for me to make my decision?"

Hunny nodded, "Yep! Sure did!"

"So Satoshi and Takashi are your other conspirators."

"Only Satoshi. He must have told Takashi, and knowing him, he felt he had to get involved to protect Haru-Chan."

Face palming, Chika counted to ten and then rolled his eyes, "So, basically you planned everything."

The captain's voice came over the loud speaker and then Kyoya smirked, "No more until we get to the house. Everything will be explained then. Now, I recommend preparing for landing."

It wasn't until the plane had come to a complete stop and the door had opened so that the four young men could disembark that Tamaki jumped up wide awake, "Where are we mommy?"

"Will you…?" Pushing up his glasses, Kyoya took a deep breath and said, "We're in Hokkaido. Remember?"

"Yasuchika's bachelor party?"

"That's correct, moron. Now get your stuff and let's get to the house. Mori and Satoshi are already waiting on us."

"Because they got the house ready. Right?"

"Correct."

It was then that something dawned on Tamaki. Pointing his finger at the younger man, fire came out of his mouth when he growled, "You are not allowed anywhere near my beautiful daughter! Mommy! We have to protect our little girl!"

"Tamaki?" Kyoya pushed up his glasses creating a glare.

"Yes, mommy?"

"Do you want to be knocked out again?"

"No, mommy!" The very man he was just yelling at now became his shield.

Throwing back his elbow, Chika caught the former princely type in the gut and stepped away, "I'm not a barricade!"

Tamaki fell to his knees.

"Tamaki, get up and let's go. We are expected and a gentleman is never tardy."

"Yes, mommy," the blonde's voice was out of breath and raspy, but he got to his feet and followed the other three, not wanting to be left behind.

There was a car waiting for them out on the tarmac and they were quickly whisked away to the Morinozuka vacation home. What would be waiting for them? Would Haruhi be happy to see Chika? Even if she wasn't, it was time to have a long talk about everything.


	12. The Truth, The Whole Truth

**A/N: It's the chapter you all have been waiting for…the reunion of Haruhi and Chika! Are you ready? Enjoy! And if you haven't seen it, Chika/Haruhi won the poll for a Halloween story. The one shot is up and is titled, Halloween Haunted House.**

 **PS…For those writers who are participating in NaNoWriMo, good luck. I am participating as well, and while I know it can be difficult, I know you can do it!**

Chapter 12 – The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth

The wait felt agonizing and Haruhi didn't know if she was excited or nervous about seeing Chika again. Maybe she was a little bit of both. She knew what she wanted and what she needed in life, but she also knew that it was not going to be easy. He had a fiancée waiting for him and family expectations weighting him down…and she refused to be the other woman. Then again, she doubted Yasuchika Haninozuka would ever make her choose that sort of life. He was more honorable and noble than that.

Thinking back on everything, Chika was a lot of things that others weren't. When she entered Ouran, Tamaki and the twins had chased her around the room because they were curious. She wound up breaking an expensive vase, which led to Tamaki and Kyoya forcing her into a life of servitude – granted it was only for one year, but still. From there her life went from quiet and unassuming to full of action. She never knew what would happen from minute to minute, and maybe that was a good thing. It helped to break her out of her shell.

And then Hikaru asked her out, and she said yes. Nothing would ever be the same after that. She always believed she had loved him and wanted to make him happy, but this time away from everyone and everything gave her time to really think about everything in her life: the past, the present, and her future. And while she did love him, she wasn't in love with him. He wasn't more important than her career, and he barely ranked higher than their friends. She had always thought that sex with him was good, but after her experience with Chika, she knew it had been mediocre at best. Maybe if they would have waited instead of giving into the pressure, they would have discovered the truth before making a huge mistake, and then maybe they would still be able to be friends. That's what she missed with the twins. It wasn't the marriage or the intimacy, it was the friendship. If she could go back in time and change things, she would.

Now there was Chika. She had been so afraid of making this same mistake, she tried to run away from him. She should have known that their first night together everything between them had changed, but the only thing she could think about was this was Chika, one of her best friends and her confidante…if she lost him, she would lost a bigger piece of herself than she had with Hikaru. But somewhere along the way, she realized she needed to face the truth head on. In the middle of everything, she had fallen in love with him, and there was a possibility that she had developed feelings for him long ago and kept them deep inside herself.

Today was a new day though and it was time to stop running. Chika may have a fiancée, and he may have family obligations, but she needed to tell him what was in her heart and allow him to decide on his own what he wanted in life. Maybe it wasn't fair to him, she had considered that, however, they had crossed a line that could not be erased, and she didn't want to forget it. In his arms she felt at home, alive, loved, and more like a beautiful woman than she ever felt in Hikaru's arms. He ignited a passion in her that could not be quenched by anything else…she tried and nothing worked. Only he would do, but it was more than just physical. It was also emotional. He understood her more than Hikaru probably ever did. She could talk about her work and not fear that he would get bored or lash out at her, and she could pursue her dreams and career knowing Chika supported her like he always had. Hikaru always got sick of her talking about work, tried to one up her, and always told her she needed to focus more on him than on her choice of career. In the beginning, he supported her, however, things changed and in the end, he was jealous of her job and accused her of things she never did. She never wanted to go through that again, never wanted to lose another friend, and never wanted another friend to hate her. So she fought her feelings for Chika tooth and nail…and she lost. She probably never would have faced them or even admitted them if it wasn't for him showing up in Okinawa. He had forced her to delve into things she never wanted to, and when Satoshi and Mori whisked her away, she had no choice but to come to terms with everything.

So now she waited for Chika and the others to arrive. Satoshi had said it was a long story, and she wanted to know exactly what that story was. Something told her it was going to surpass anything her imagination could come up with…then again, her imagination was a little dry and she wasn't the idea person of the Host Club. That was Tamaki and Kyoya. Hell, everyone else probably had a better imagination than her, except when it came to her wet dreams of Chika. Somehow her imagination was not lacking in that area and they made her wet and craving him each and every night. Only he could satisfy her lust, and that alone made her a little afraid of what the future held for her. No more running though, she would stand her ground and face it head on. Would she be alone, or would Chika be standing by her side?

"They're here," Satoshi announced breaking through Haruhi's thoughts and interrupting another round of pacing. He could tell her nerves were starting to get to her, he only prayed when she found out the whole truth, she didn't take his brother's sword and decapitate everyone with it…then again, she never was one to fly off the handle until pushed too far, and then it was normally the twins or Tamaki that felt her wrath, which was typically a fist to the noggin or a lashing with her words.

Mori placed his hand on Haruhi's hand and ruffled her hair, "You will be fine."

"Thanks, Mori. I just…"

"He isn't Hikaru."

A small smile lifted the corner of her lips, "I know."

The moment the car stopped, Chika flew out the door and up the steps that would take him to Haruhi. Pushing the door open, he heard someone land on the floor with an "oomph" and looked down. His dear cousin and best friend lay sprawled on the ground, which he believed served him right, and he demanded, "Where is she?"

"Impatient aren't you? No hello Satoshi? Or sorry for knocking you down when you were trying to get the door?" Satoshi teased, but swallowed his laugh when he noticed the determined gleam in his cousin's eyes...one he had never seen before. A fire had been lit, and her name was Haruhi Fujioka. "She's…"

"I'm right here," Haruhi announced from the doorway of the study, interrupting their little repartee.

"Haruhi," the word was no more than a whispered breath on Chika's lips, and yet, it felt as if all of his frustrations and uncertainties melted away upon seeing her.

"Hey…Chika," her nerves were hitting her full force with the intensity of his stare, but seeing him, knowing he wanted to see her, made her giddy with excitement and happier than she could ever remember being. Feeling shy and exuberant at the same time was a new experience for her.

"I see we remember everyone's names. Now I believe we came here for a discus…OOMPH!" Kyoya started to speak, but when Tamaki walking up behind him and noticed a certain brunette, he pushed the bespectacled man aside and ran towards the former secret princess.

"HARUHI!" Tamaki's voice echoed off of the marble lining the foyer. "Daddy missed you so much!" Grabbing the brunette, he pulled her into his arms and proceeded to squeeze the very life out of her.

She was trying to breathe, but it was getting increasingly difficult to do so, "Good to see you too, Tamaki." Her words sounded breathy and choked.

It was then that something dawned on the blond and he accidently dropped Haruhi. She would have landed on the floor had Mori not been there to catch her. Pointing an accusing finger at Kyoya, he snapped, "You knew she was going to be here and you brought Yasuchika here!"

Smirking like the cat that ate the canary, Kyoya pushed up his glasses and nodded, "I did"

"Mommy! We are supposed to protect our daughter from him!" His finger flew to point at the younger man accusingly.

"I am."

"NO! He will hurt her and is not good enough for our daughter!"

"You said the same thing about Hikaru…"

Tamaki interrupted, "And I was right!"

"You also said the same thing about Mori, Hunny, Arai, and several men that were never actually in love with her."

"They don't deserve a pearl such as her! She deserves…"

"You, Tama-Chan?" Hunny asked, his voice full of amusement, but there was also an edge to his words.

Suddenly embarrassed, the blonde's face started to turn red and he said, "Well…maybe."

Kyoya shook his head, his eyes rolling upwards, "Be that as it may, she is free to make her own decisions without your counsel. Now I do believe we have come here to discuss a few things. Shall we get to it?"

"Kyoya, I was hoping that I could have a word with Haruhi first," Chika stated.

Narrowing his eyes, he finally said, "Denied. You two may discuss anything you want without interruption after we have a group meeting." It wasn't that he didn't want his two friends to talk, however, he had a feeling that if he allowed them to go off on their own, he may not see them for a while. The sexual tension could be physically felt between them.

"Kyoya…" Haruhi tried, also wanting to talk to Chika alone.

Satoshi placed a hand on her shoulder and told her, "Long story, remember?"

"Is it really that bad?"

"Could be."

She had a feeling she was going to want to kill her friends after this meeting, but finally consented, "Fine, let's go." Turning around, she returned to the study and waited for the others to join her.

Tamaki attempted to sit next to her, but found himself thrown out of the seat and on the floor. When he looked up to see who had something so grievous, he found Chika glaring at him, "MOMMY!"

Shaking his head again, Kyoya explained, "Tamaki, pick a different seat. We came here so that these two could be reunited."

It took a moment, but then the blond started to chuckle and itch his ear with his finger, "I'm sorry, Kyoya, but it sounded as if you said we came here so that they could be together."

"That's what he said, Tama-Chan!" Hunny excitedly proclaimed.

"Eh? EH?!"

Hitting his friend on the back of the head, Kyoya dragged him to the sofa opposite the couple and pushed him onto it, "It is as we have said."

"But mommy! We're supposed to be here for his bachelor's party!" Tamaki whined.

"Bach…bachelor party?" Haruhi asked confused. "So…"

"Before you follow through with that thought, I suggest you listen," Kyoya ordered. He could already see the wheels turning in her head and he didn't want her to make any rash decisions. It had taken quite a bit of planning to get here and he would not have everything ruined by one little faux pas.

Grabbing her hand and lacing his fingers with hers, Chika spoke softly, "They brought me here because I needed to see you. Apparently, Tamaki is their stooge and doesn't know what is going on here. Not that I really understand it myself." He had to tell her something because he could feel her start to pull away from him, and that was the last thing he wanted.

"I am not a stooge!" Tamaki shouted his declaration as he stood to his feet and stomped one of them while pouting.

"How old are you?" Chika asked sarcastically.

"Me? Why I'm…"

"I do believe it was a rhetorical question," Kyoya interjected. Sighing, he continued, "And he is correct. We did not inform you of our purpose in coming because you didn't need to know at the time. We had to make sure that you did not say anything untoward to anyone before the time was right."

"I can keep a secret."

"No, you can't," Hunny, Kyoya, Satoshi, Chika, and Haruhi spoke at the same time.

"Hey! I kept the secret that Haruhi was a girl!"

Raising a brow, Haruhi scoffed, "Hardly."

"Tama-Chan, you always called her 'daughter' and 'she'. It's just that everyone thought it was an act, so they never put two and two together," Hunny expounded and explained what everyone was thinking.

"I did not…did I?" Tamaki frowned.

Kyoya pushed his glasses up again and answered, "You did. As for today, we could not risk certain people finding out the real reason for this trip."

"You mean Hikaru and Kaoru?"

"Two name a couple of them. There is also your father, Yasuchika's family, your servants, etc."

"Why the servants?"

"Servants talk amongst themselves and if they heard something, it could get back to the Haninozuka household."

"Why are you worried about…?"

"Really? Tama-Chan, we brought my brother here to meet with Haru-Chan. If my father found out, it wouldn't be good because of Chika-Chan's wedding," Hunny deadpanned. Did Tamaki really not get it? This was a covert operation.

Mori spoke next, "Tamaki, they will explain everything. Let them talk."

Opening his mouth to protest, he immediately closed it again and agreed, "Yes, of course. Please continue."

Kyoya stood up and cleared his throat, "To begin with, this plan started to form before Haruhi's divorce was final."

"What?" Haruhi gasped in shock.

"I will explain everything. Until I am finished, I ask that you hold all comments and questions. Is that acceptable."

"Fine, but why do I feel like I'm about to find out that I'm part of some sort of social experiment?"

"Thank you. Now you may be surprised to find out that the idea that gave birth to our plan actually came from Hikaru."

"Hikaru?" Chika, Haruhi, and Tamaki snapped. None of them could believe that such a thing was possible.

"If you will please…" Kyoya gave all of them a shut the hell up or else look and continued, "Before I get to that, I want to explain. You see, everyone in this room could see that you were not happy in your marriage to Hikaru, and several of us questioned the injuries he supposedly received from you. You never tried to defend yourself though, however, knowing you, we knew that he was not telling the truth. He started drinking heavily and we knew it was only a matter of time before everything fell apart and ended for good. You filed for divorce and he called us together to drink. Since Tamaki had been trying to get everyone together at his place to try some new wine he had gotten from France, we met there. Hikaru was the first one of us drunk that night and he started saying whatever was on his mind. I will leave what he said in the past, however, one thing he said stood out. He mentioned that the only person that didn't seem to made flirtatious advances towards Haruhi seemed to be Yasuchika, and yet, he was the only one of us that he could actually see Haruhi with. He mentioned that you two had an easy going relationship and seemed to connect on a level that he never could. After that night, Hunny and I discussed and few things and decided we needed to see if a union between the both of you was possible. We brought Satoshi on to help our plan succeed.

"At the wedding, it was his job to get both of you drunk and gave Yasuchika the room key that you two later used. We believed once we set the ball in motion, it would go from there."

"But I had a fiancée…have a fiancée," Chika mumbled. He was in utter disbelief. Had all of this happened right under his nose?

Nodding, Kyoya said, "That is correct, however, out of all of us, you were the most vocal about defending Haruhi and had even punch Hikaru a time or two. You seemed to take it personally that she had been hurt and that the Hitachiin family were treating her as if she was nothing. Before set the plan in motion, we consulted with Satoshi, and he seemed to agree that you might have feelings for Haruhi that went beyond friendship."

It was Satoshi's turn to speak up, "You always talked about her in high school, and when you would, you would get this goofy grin on your face. When you decided to take on Mitsukuni's fiancée, I asked you about Haruhi. You thought it was weird, but you said, 'She has Hikaru.'"

"She did!" Chika exclaimed. It felt disconcerting to know he had been the pawn in a scheme such as this. Glancing at Haruhi, he could tell she felt the same as he did. He squeezed her hand to let her know he was still there and still with her.

"But when she was getting a divorce, I asked you again about her, and you said, 'I'm engaged now. I have a duty to my family.' So, it made it seem as if you really didn't want to marry a stranger and you had feelings for Haruhi."

Thinking back on everything now, maybe he did have feelings for her, but he had ignored them and pretended as if they didn't exist. If only he had realized it sooner.

Kyoya stated, "Once both of you had been given a little push, everything started to fall into place."

"You forgot one thing, Kyoya," Haruhi's soft voice cut through the grunts from the others.

Smiling, he had a feeling he knew where she was going with this and asked, "What did I forget?"

"Chika still has a fiancée," she stated simply and pulled her hand from the man sitting next to her.

"No, I don't believe I forgot anything. He doesn't have a fiancée."

"Yes, he/I do," Haruhi and Chika spoke simultaneously.

"I plan on calling it off as soon as I get back though. Even if my parents don't agree, I can't marry her," Chika proclaimed, his eyes locked on Haruhi's face.

She couldn't bring herself to look at him and asked, "Why?"

This was not how he wanted to do things, but it needed to be said, "Because I love you and I can't marry anyone that isn't you."

Her head snapped up and her brown eyes found his, "Really?"

"Really."

"Me…Me too," her face felt like it was on fire, but then she seemed to snap out of the trance and she asked, "What do you mean, Kyoya? And what would have happened if you had been wrong?"

Kyoya chuckled, "Wrong? Do you realize with whom you are speaking? However, if we had been wrong then nothing would have happened and we would not be sitting here right now. As for the fiancée…it turns out that Kobayashi-sama is willing to sell his daughter to the highest bidder. He signed a new marriage contract with me. I am her new fiancée. She will benefit my family greatly because she wants to become a doctor and has a good head on her shoulders. Her father was unwilling to allow her to go to medical school because he wanted her to be a socialite wife. I do not require such things. I also discussed this with Yasuchika's father. He knows the marriage is off the table. The relationship between the Kobayashi and Haninozuka family remains intact and Kobayashi has obtained a relationship with the Ootori family, one he had not been expecting and could not turn down when presented. Yasuchika is free to choose his own wife."

"Mommy?" Tamaki asked.

"What is it, Tamaki?"

"Does this mean I really was a stooge?"

"You were."

Haruhi was trying to wrap her head around everything and asked, "Wait, you said you didn't want the Haninozuka family to find out that Chika was coming here."

"That is correct. He seemed a bit peeved when I talked to him and it wasn't until after we landed that I received message that he accepted the new arrangement."

"When did you get the new contract signed?"

"This morning."

"So you did it without his permission?"

"That would be correct. I just played both sides and they both found the new arrangement to be mutually beneficial," Kyoya smirked.

"There's the Shadow King for you," she deadpanned.

Tamaki ran his hand through his hair, "Mommy?"

"Yes, Tamaki?"

"Does this mean that Haruhi and Yasuchika will be getting married?"

"That is up to them."

Standing up, the blond pointed at Chika, "You better not hurt my daughter!"

"Oh don't worry, Tama-Chan. If he hurts her like Hikaru did, I'll make sure he pays," Hunny declared in all seriousness and noticed his brother gulped.

Tamaki demanded, "Are you going to make her happy then? Love her like she deserves?"

Chika's eyes met Haruhi's and he said, "All I ever want is to love her and make her happy." He stood to his feet, grabbed her hands and pulled her up, "I think we need to talk alone now." Pulling her out of the room, he could hear Tamaki trying to run after them and his brother stopping him. They had listened to what everyone else had to say, now it was their turn to talk without everyone else present. He had a few things to say to her, and he wanted to start with capturing her lips. It had been too long since he last felt her supple lips and her soft body.


	13. I Vow

**A/N: I decided not to leave you hanging about the next chapter. I know all of you want to know what happens next. So here you go. Enjoy!**

Chapter 13 – I Vow

Chika ran up the stairs, never relinquishing his hold on Haruhi's hand. Even when he started to hear her pant from the exertion, he would not slow down fearful that if they stopped, if they gave the others an opening, he would not be able to have her to himself. There were so many things to say to her, so many things he wanted to do with her – not to mention, to her – the last thing he wanted was for the others to be there.

As it was, they were confined to this house because the Morinozuka and Haninozuka shared it. After the Haninozuka's house caught on fire, the two families made the decision to not rebuild and just add to the land the estate held. Combining the two properties made sense since they were next door to each other and since neither family used the Hokkaido estate very much, there was no reason to spend the money to rebuild. It had been the perfect solution…except Chika found the downside to such a venture. It was fine though. They had to share a house, but they did not have to share the same space with the others.

Reaching the top of the stairs, he looked left, where his room was located, and then he looked right, where the majority of the guest rooms were located. Which way? "Where is your room?"

Out of breath, Haruhi answered, "Down the hall on your left, third door on your right."

"Really?"

"What?" Was there something wrong with her using that room? Satoshi was the one who put her in there, so she didn't think there would be an issue.

"I'll tell you in a sec. Come on." He began to pull her towards the room.

Haruhi was starting to feel more like a ragdoll than a person, but she understood his rush, his almost desperate need to be alone. She felt it too, and couldn't wait to be behind closed doors where they could lock out the world.

Throwing the door open, he pulled her in, slammed it shut, and then locked it. No one would be able to disturb them as long as they were in the room…at least not physically. They could bang on the door as much as they liked, it would not be opened until he and Haruhi were ready.

Haruhi was bent over, her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath, "Want to tell me what's so interesting about this room?" Small talk. Not the best opening, but she was suddenly very nervous and very aware of Chika, and it seemed like a good place to start. Looking up when she didn't get an immediate answer, her breath caught in her throat. He stood there with a hunger in his eyes staring at her…no one else – just her. How was it with that one look he could make her feel more desired, more like a woman, than Hikaru had ever made her feel in their entire time together. Swallowing hard, she whispered, "Chika…?" Was it a question or just a name? She wasn't sure.

Moving away from the door, he slowly stalked to where she stood. No longer could he be apart, and while he had so much to say, he wasn't sure he could get the words out just yet. He swallowed hard, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down, "This room…it's my room."

"Oh," her eyes were locked on his throat and that was the only thing she managed to say.

The moment he reached her, he couldn't stop himself from touching her. Lifting his hand, he brushed his fingers over her cheek in an almost reverent gesture. He needed to know that she was real, that she was really with him. Yes, he had been downstairs with her, but now it was just them, and he had dreamed of this on more than one occasion that he was almost afraid that he was still dreaming. "You're really here."

She grabbed his hand and held it to her face for a brief moment before turning and kissing the palm of it, "I'm really here. So are you."

"I couldn't stay away from you."

"You couldn't?"

Shaking his head, he whispered, "No," before leaning down and pressing his lips to hers. The moment he did that, a fire had been ignited like he knew it would be. Every time he touched her, he couldn't get enough and he wanted to consume her lest she disappear before he has his fill.

"Mmm," she moaned and opened her mouth to his probing tongue. There would be time to talk later, now they needed to prove to each other that this was not a trick of their senses, and they needed to make up for lost time, confusing feelings, and everything else in between.

That small moan felt like it sent an electric shock right to his groin. He was on fire, and when his tongue touched hers, he became even harder…painfully so. And then he almost came when she decided to take charge and used her hand to rub him. That's all it took for him to lose the last vestiges of control – however, it wasn't like he had much to begin with today.

She knew they needed to talk and discuss everything, but the moment she had heard his voice, had seen him standing in the foyer demanding to see her, Haruhi wanted nothing more than to feel the strength of his arms as they wrapped around her. They could talk later, right now, their bodies would speak for them…and what his was telling her, he needed her just as much as she needed him.

Her head falling back in order to give him better access to her neck, she hissed in anticipation when his teeth grazed the skin just below her ear, and her grip on his cock tightened causing him to wince, "Sorry."

His hands moved upwards to cup her face and he told her, "Never be sorry for anything. I love you… I just really can't wait any longer."

"Me either."

Nothing else needed to be said. Sweeping her up in his arms, he laid her gently on the bed and took his time stripping her of her clothes, kissing the skin that was exposed…worshiping her as she should always be – should have always been.

Haruhi felt exposed like this and while it might have bothered her in the past, she could accept it because it was Chika. Today felt more intimate than any other time before with him – any time in her past for that matter.

After he removed her bra, his eyes bore into her as his hand cupped her breast, tweaking her nipple and she needed him now! Pulling his head down, she brutally ravaged his mouth, but he gave as good as he got, and when he ripped his lips away from hers, he licked her hardened nipple, grinning when she sucked in her breath. She could see that smile, and realized that even if she wanted to say something, she couldn't. A split second of reprieve before he suckled at her breast as a babe would, his mouth unrelenting.

And as his mouth moved to her other breast, his hands unbuttoned her pants. He only stopped his conquest of her body for a moment before pulling any clothing she had on her lower body off of her. "Kami, you're beautiful!" His voice was full of awe and reverence. How was it that this woman had managed to fall for him? He wasn't as refined as some of the hosts, he got pissed off easily, and when compared to some of the others, he wasn't as good looking. He didn't know, but he would give thanks every day that she was here with him now, and he was never going to let her go.

While he was careful with her clothes, taking them off almost excruciatingly slow, the same care was not taken with his own. Trying to take off his shirt, he popped a button – or three – and tripped over his own feet when he tried to take off his jeans. No one would be awarding him a trophy for grace any time soon.

Haruhi couldn't help but snicker when she saw Chika's rushed striptease, and when he fell to the ground, she laughed hard and loud, "Are you okay?" She was trying to cover her laugh with a hand over her mouth, but it wasn't working too well.

"Funny?" Asked Chika with a glint in his eyes, staring up at the naked woman lying on his bed.

"Yes, very." She probably needed to stop laughing, but she couldn't. She wasn't even sure why she thought it was as funny as she did, but there he was lying on the ground, one foot still in his jeans that were tangled around his ankles, naked, and sporting a very large hard on. What wasn't a little funny about that?

"Oh really?"

"Yep," she stressed the "p".

Chika jumped up and leaped onto the bed and onto her, his fingers tickling her sides where he happened to know she was very ticklish. How was it they hadn't hooked up before? Oh yeah. Hikaru. Well, there was also the fact that Chika hadn't realized he harbored feelings for her until recently. So much time…wasted. He knew intimate details about her that others didn't know: where she was ticklish, how she felt about the pressure to become a lawyer in the first place, they were each other's first kisses – something that happened before she started dating Hikaru because he liked a girl and was unsure of kissing, so she gave him his first kiss and he realized it was hers as well – where she kept her diary, and the face she made the first time she tried ootoro because the hosts kept promising and never delivered, so he took her as a treat for helping him.

In an effort to fight him off, her legs tangled with his and her heat rubbed against his shaft. She lost her will to fight him and groaned.

Chika felt her wetness press against his cock and he stopped tickling her, stopped everything and paused, swallowing hard. Dipping his head, he captured her lips as his hand dove between their bodies and delved into her very core. He swallowed her moan and used his thumb to press against her clit as his middle finger entered her. The sounds she was making, turned him on even more, and he had the sudden urge to hear her scream his name.

This man could play her body like an instrument. He knew where to touch and how much pressure to exert. Haruhi was in heaven. "Ah," the sound escaped just as Chika pulled his finger out and pushed back in, this time with two. Pulling out, pushing in, his thumb turning circles on her clit, sent her coursing towards the precipice at a break neck speed. Had she not just cummed this morning by her own hand? But even she knew it had not been enough. Nothing completely satisfied her any longer, and now the one man who could, hovered above her, his hands working their magic. "Ah, kami. There. Harder, Chika...Chika!" She screamed out his name as she was pushed over the edge and climaxed. Everything around her turned a blinding white…everything except his face. The face staring down at her own, studying her, watching her as she reached the height of pleasure.

Her hands that had been clinging to the blanket beneath her, reached up and wrapped themselves round Chika's neck and she pulled him down so that their noses rubbed against each other. In a breathless whisper, she begged, "Put it inside me, please. I need to feel you."

"Your wish is my command," he smiled and kissed her as he lined himself up with her pussy and thrust in. He wanted to be gentle, to take it slow, but he couldn't. The moment his tip touched her warm wetness, his body remembered the pleasure her sheath offered, and it could not wait. One thrust, pull out. Two thrust, pull out. On the third, he was seated as far as he could within her depths and he stopped to savor it for a mere second or two. And then she clenched around him, massaging his dick and he couldn't stay still any longer.

She could feel him pulling out, and she protested, "More." Wrapping her legs around him, she dug her heels into his buttocks to coax him back inside her warmth.

Wrapping his arms around her waist and back, he pulled her up so that she was sitting on his lap. His hands grabbed her hips and he pulled her upwards and then slammed her back down on his hardness, "Ung."

"Ah, Chika!" She cried out and then lifted herself before lowering herself onto him, rotating her hips as she did so. In this position, she could control the depth and speed…and drive him utterly out of his mind. As much as she wanted it hard and fast right now, seeing his face every time she twisted her hips a little or as she sank down on his shaft was intoxicating.

His bright idea was torture. Yes, he was deeper than in the previous position, but allowing Haruhi to control the pace was driving him bonkers. Throwing her backwards, he pulled out and thrust in as hard as he could, moving faster and faster.

Neither one of them seemed to be able to catch their breath, and neither one cared. He kept thrusting and retreating and thrusting again. Both of them racing to the finish line, and just when it seemed as if it would stay out of reach, they both climaxed together.

Chika collapsed on top of her, too spent to move, and she wrapped her arms around him holding him tightly to her, binding him to her. In her ear, he breathed heavily and said, "I think you might actually kill me one of these days."

She giggled, "Likewise."

They stayed like that for several minutes remaining silent and basking in the afterglow, and then it was time to face reality…sort of. Rolling off of her, he pulled the blanket from the other side of the large king side bed so that they were covered. He was just too spent to try and climb under, or to attempt trying to help Haruhi under. His arms pulled her close so that her head was laying on his chest, and he said, "I meant what I said down there. I was ready to call off the wedding if it meant you would stay by my side and love me."

"And if I didn't?"

"I didn't think there would be anyone I could love like I love you, so I would have been sentenced to a loveless marriage anyway, might as well get it over with."

She linked her fingers with his and listened to his racing heart, "So you didn't end it because you weren't sure of my answer?"

Sighing, he used the hand wrapped around her shoulders to run through his sweaty hair, "Pretty much. I wasn't sure of your feelings. Every time I turned around, you were running away and disappearing on me, but to be honest, I don't think I could have gone through with it no matter your feelings. I think my parents knew something was going on with my feelings too because I was basically locked in my room and held under lock and key. I wound up calling Kyoya for help because I had to see you. I was desperate to tell you how I felt, and so he arranged a bachelor party. I thought that's all it was going to be, so I brought some shuriken with me and tried to hold Tamaki hostage. My brother knocked me out and when I came to, they told me they were bringing me to you."

"I'm sorry I ran away. I just wasn't sure what was going on between us and I was so scared. I was terrified that things would end like they did with Hikaru, and you are one of the friends that I don't' want to lose. I can't lose you."

"And now?" His breath had been caught in his throat and it felt as if he heart stopped beating as he waited for her answer. Downstairs she had told him that she loved him, had come up to his/her room with him and they had amazing sex yet again, but that did not mean she was ready to accept everything he was offering.

"Now?" She lay there for a moment in order to collect her words and thoughts. She could tell he was getting nervous because she had not answered right away, and he started to fidget. Unable to smother the smile that appeared, she kissed his chest, right over his pounding heart and then looked him in the eye, "I still can't lose you, however, I also can't deny that I love you. I tried. I tried to beat back those feelings so that they would never surface, but I can't do that any longer. What I feel for you is so much more than I ever felt for Hikaru, and I think that scared me just as much as the fact that everything just clicked with us."

"I still can't believe that this whole scheme came from the ramblings of that asshole, or at least the seed of the idea."

"Me either, but I'm glad it happened."

"So does this mean that you are willing to stay with me, love me forever, and to let me love you and show you how you should have been treated all these years?'

Her face turned read and she mumbled, "That almost sounds like a vow."

His eyes narrowed on her blushing face and he asked, "Can I show you something?"

Nodding, she grunted, "Hm."

Reaching over her and forcing her to roll onto her back, he dug around in the drawer on that side of the bed and pulled out a small black jewelry box. The edges looked worn and old; and when he had it in his hand, he rolled back onto his back and brought Haruhi with him. "I know you know that my family is related to the Morinozuka family, and you have probably guessed that my parents' marriage was arranged, but did you know that my mother is only a quarter Japanese?"

"I guess it makes sense since she has the light hair and pale skin tone," Haruhi commented, thinking about it for the first time.

"She was actually born in England and when she married my father, moved to Japan. She was already fluent in Japanese language, kanji, and culture due to her upbringing. It had been decided when she was three that she would marry my father. When I was younger, Mitsukuni and I would go and visit our grandparents in England until they passed away months apart from each other during my first year in middle school. I was always close to them, especially my grandmother, and when she passed away, this box and a letter were sent to me. She told me that when I found someone worthy of this ring, I should give it to her. I never thought I would, so I kept it here…a place I hardly ever come. I didn't want to give it to a stranger or someone I was forced to marry. My grandmother and grandfather loved each other very much. Theirs was also an arranged marriage, but they fell in love as kids, so it worked out for them. My parents had some difficulties and somewhere along the way learned to respect and eventually love each other. I think they were hoping for the same thing for me and Mitsukuni, but my brother found love without their help…and so did I." Pressing on the latch, the top popped open and sitting in a pillow of silk was a stunning ruby and diamond ring. "I always thought you looked best in red and that your rose color suited you. You are the only person I could ever imagine giving this to. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but if you aren't ready for that, just remember this ring will be here waiting for you."

Burying her face in his chest, her body shook as she wept. She was still so scared, and yet, she couldn't imagine life without him. Was she ready to accept all he had to offer today?

"I'm sorry, Haruhi. I was just trying to tell you how serious I was about us. There is no pressure. Regardless of when you agree, we have our whole lives ahead of us." He held her tightly and allowed her to cry. Somehow he knew she cried for more than just today. Sad tears mingled with happy ones.

And when she had cried out everything, she slept and dreamt of a future, her future, with Chika beside her.


	14. Side by Side

**A/N: If you have not seen it yet, at the top of my author page is my latest poll. You decide who Haruhi will be paired with in the Christmas story that I have planned in December. You can select up to 2 people, and if you don't have an account, you can vote in the reviews. Currently Mori and Chika are in first place, with Kyoya hot on their tails. Happy voting and enjoy the new chapter! For this story, more will be revealed next chapter.**

Chapter 14 - Side by Side

"Hey, do you guys think they're okay up there alone?" Tamaki asked, his eyes glued to the ceiling.

"Of course, Tamaki. Yasuchika is a perfect gentleman and they need to discuss things out on their own," Kyoya answered as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"So they really love each other?"

Hunny swallowed a piece of cake and then said, "They sure do, Tama-Chan! Chika-Chan has loved her for a long time even if he didn't know it himself."

"What do you mean?"

"He would always talk about her and badmouth Hika-Chan. He didn't like her getting married to him and always acted jealous. I doubt he realizes he did it though," the shorter man snickered.

"And Haruhi?"

Mori spoke up before anyone else could, "Friendship turned to love. She actually depended on him more than anyone else."

"No, she didn't! Hikaru and Kaoru were always glued to her side."

Kyoya shook his head, "Be that as it may, she always had a special bond with Yasuchika that she didn't share with anyone else."

"Really?"

"It's true, Tamaki. Haruhi always called Yasuchika when she needed to talk to someone. He was always there to listen. Even when she was stressing about school or tests. She sometimes called Taka-bro because they both law students at the same university, but she always seemed to confide in Yasuchika, and he always took the call. No matter what he was doing or where he was, he always took it. It was kind of awkward when it would happen in the middle of a date. The girls didn't exactly like him picking up the phone in order to talk to another girl," Satoshi grinned.

Scratching his head, Tamaki asked, "Then why weren't they together from the beginning."

Four voices at the same time declared, "Hikaru."

"I don't understand." The blond was trying to wrap his head around everything, but it was hard to catch up when you were thrown into the middle of a hurricane.

Kyoya believed it was best if he explain everything, "Haruhi did in fact have a crush on Hikaru, but that is all it was. As time went on, she convinced herself that she was in love with him because a. she didn't want to hurt him, and b. she truly believed she should be. That being said, when it came time to propose and the wedding, she was swept up in the moment. Ranka even told her that he wanted to see her happy and taken care of, so she believed that equated to getting married to Hikaru. She thought she would have time before the wedding, but the Hitachiin family rushed everything and she found herself a bride before she was truly ready for it."

"And Yasuchika?"

"Chika-Chan didn't agree with her rushing into marriage, but if she was happy then he would be happy for her. That's exactly what he told her," Hunny paused to eat another bite of cake and then continued, "He was acting more like a friend instead of a lover at that point though."

"But Hikaru was the one that said Yasuchika didn't flirt with Haruhi."

Kyoya smirked, "He did not. He was conscious of her feelings for Hikaru and he did not as of yet, realize his own feelings for her at the time." His eyes moved skyward and he said, "He will protect her from anyone or anything that would do her harm. It is like Hikaru said, they have a special connection."

"Why?"

The Shadow King's gaze fell on his best friend, "What do you mean?"

"The special connection, I don't understand. She has a special connection with us all, and with him, he isn't an only child, he has both parents still living, he has a lot of friends, and he is rich. So what is this special connection?"

Placing the book he was reading down onto the table, Mori explained, "They have both lived in someone's shadow and have had to deal with the consequences."

Tamaki still couldn't understand and his confusion was all too apparent on his face.

"Haruhi put herself in her mother's shadow. She wanted to be like her and pushed herself in her studies and in everything she did day to day from taking care of the house to getting into Ouran. After she got into Ouran, she had to fight the stigma of being a simple commoner who was beneath her fellow students. Yasuchika felt like he lived in Mitsukuni's shadow and fought the stigma of being second rate when compared to his older brother."

"Even Tama-Chan was excited to meet the commoner student and you chased her around Music Room 3 when she first opened the door," Hunny exclaimed.

It felt as if his spine had been zapped and Tamaki cringed from the remark, "Uh, well…I just…"

"You were curious about her just like the rest of the school, but most of the school ignored her because she dressed like a boy and looked like she should be weeding the garden instead of walking through it," Satoshi deadpanned.

"NO!"

"Yes, he is correct, Tamaki," Kyoya retorted.

"But mommy! EEP!" The glare his best friend sent him, shut him up.

"Now that we have all of that straightened out, we need to be prepared for when Hikaru finds out about their relationship," Kyoya stated.

Hunny pushed around some frosting on the plate and he sighed sadly, "Kao-Chan said that Hika-Chan has been drinking almost every night since the divorce."

"Guilt has a way of eating you up inside when you wronged someone or did something you shouldn't have to another person," said Mori.

Hearing this, even Tamaki's countenance changed and he appeared as if he could cry at any moment, "Is it the guilt over what he did to Haruhi?"

"It could be. He probably also feels as if he disappointed his family with the divorce. In fact, I am almost certain that is why he started to lie in the first place. His family pressured him into proposing before he was ready. I do wonder if he could see then that he and Haruhi were not the ideal couple," Kyoya suggested.

"Do you think the truth will come out?" Asked Hunny.

"Yes, and I will wager that we will hear Haruhi's side of the story before we have to return home."

"Should we go and ask her to talk now? They've been gone for a while," Tamaki innocently asked.

Mori shook his head, "They are not ready for us."

"Well, if they're just talking anyway…" Tamaki's words died on his lips when he noticed several heads going from left to right and back again. "What?"

Snickering, Hunny told him, "I'm sure they're talking, Tama-Chan, but I don't think they are using their words."

"Then what…." Suddenly, Tamaki froze, his eyes widened and he turned to stone.

"I think he figured it out," Satoshi guffawed.

 ** _Upstairs…_**

Haruhi blinked and began to rub her eyes. She couldn't have been out that long since it was still light outside, and yet, she felt better than she had in weeks – no months, maybe even years. It wasn't just the sex, although that was pretty amazing, it was the connection she had with Chika. It went beyond a simple friendship, always had. It was as if their very souls were connected to each other; and as she felt him stroking her hair, a burst of happiness overwhelmed her and she started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Chika asked as his hands continued to play with her silky hair.

"Life. You were always just one of my best friends, and now, it's so much more. I just can't imagine life without you in it any longer. I'm not saying I'm ready for the ring, I'm not. I still have some things to figure out, but I don't want to lose you as a friend or anything else."

Using his other hand, he lifted her chin and turned her face so that she was looking at him, "I'm not going anywhere, and once I get my shuriken back, I'll make sure no one can steal you away again."

She snorted with laughter again.

To him, her laugh was a melodious sound and music to his ears – thankfully he had never had the pleasure of hearing her sing. Rolling her over onto her back, he declared, "I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered on the verge of crying.

After kissing her briefly – he would have preferred a much longer and lingering kiss, but they still had things to talk about – he rolled off of her and situated himself against the headboard. He knew this was probably bad timing, but he needed to know, "What happened with Hikaru during your marriage?"

A frown kissed her forehead and she sat up as well. This was the part of the conversation she didn't want to have, "Could I just say that it didn't work out and ended badly?"

"You could, but don't you think it's time you defended yourself. No matter what happened, it isn't your fault. You cannot shoulder all of the blame for him. He doesn't deserve that allowance and you don't deserve being treated like shit for something you didn't do."

She ran a hand through her hair, already missing his gentle touch, and said, "Then it's probably best if we get dressed and go back downstairs. I know they want to know as well." Getting out of bed, she gathered her clothes and started to get dressed.

Chika watched her for a moment and it seemed as if she was moving almost robotically, as if she was shutting down a part of herself; and it tore at his gut to even think she felt like she either had to hold a part of herself back or that she was afraid of what everyone would think of her after that. Acting on instinct, he wrapped his arms around her and pushed her head on his shoulder, "No matter what happens or what you have to say, I will always be here with you. Nothing you could say would change that. The guys downstairs love you too, or they wouldn't have continued to be your friend after Hikaru started spouting off his damn cocky mouth. Got it?"

Breathing in his scent, she finally nodded, "All right." She was still uncertain and scared, but it was past time to face her ghosts, and at least this time, Chika would be sitting next to her. Would he really be able to keep his promise if he heard that she was partly to blame for at least some of Hikaru's injuries?


	15. Haruhi's Defense

**A/N: Well the poll resulted in a tie, ergo, a new one has been posted at the top of my author page. The tie was between our favorite Shadow King and second son. That's right: Kyoya and Chika. So vote on who you would like to see paired with Haruhi for Christmas. The poll will be up through the weekend and I will check the votes on Monday morning.**

Chapter 15 – Haruhi's Defense

The closer she and Chika got to the library, the more it felt as if a noose were tightening around her neck. Her lover's words reassured her slightly, but they could not take away the guilt and truth of what she had done…justifiable or not. She could almost swear that she heard the funeral dirge being sung in her ear and almost looked around to see if any of her friends were standing around humming it, but she didn't. Her eyes remained straight ahead, locked on the door to the room that held her friends and her fate.

Before they opened it and bedlam greeted them, Chika pulled her to a stop and settled his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to turn her gaze to him. He did not say anything until she did so, and when she did, he told her softly, "I love you and it will be all right. Even if you told me that you killed the asshole, it wouldn't change my feelings for you. If you don't want to…"

"NO!" She rushed, and then spoke in a more subdued voice, "No, I need to do this."

"Then I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. I won't let go," he proclaimed as one of his hands reached down and laced his fingers with hers. "I'm never letting go."

She couldn't be sure why, but in that moment, she felt as if no matter what happened, she would never be alone again, that she was free. Free from worries and the burdens she had been carrying, and free to move forward in her life. One of the things that had made her so scared to face what she and Chika had was the heaviness of her secrets, and now, she prayed he truly meant what he said. Unable to say anything, she nodded and placed her free hand on the door handle; however, before she could step one foot inside the room, Chika was pushing her behind him and she almost fell to the floor, "What the hell?" She had practically forgotten that Tamaki was in the group and when she had opened the door, he had taken a flying leap towards her. "Tamaki?"

He didn't hear her, his focus was on someone else now. With his arms cross over his chest, Tamaki was staring down at the shorter and younger man, "Yasuchika, it is my understanding that you have feelings for my daughter, but that does not mean that you can keep us apart. It is a father's duty to ensure his daughter is taken care of and happy."

"You did a great job of that while she was with Hikaru," Chika snorted, the sarcasm dripping off his tongue as thick as molasses.

If it was possible (and it was because this was Tamaki), the blond looked in that moment like he was a kicked and abused puppy. His ears were down, his tail drooped, and he whimpered.

Rolling her eyes, Haruhi took charge, "Tamaki, I'm fine. In fact, I would say that I'm better than I have been for some time. And need I remind you, you are not my father, Kyoya is not my mother, and the twins are not my siblings." She grabbed Chika's hand again and narrowed her eyes before saying, "Chika that was a low blow."

"Well, they came down sooner than I thought they would," Satoshi snickered and watched Haruhi's face turn pink.

"Chika and I were talking…"

"Sure you were."

Chika's eyes went from his cousin to his brother and back again, and he gave a small almost imperceptible nod. Seconds later, Satoshi was holding his head and yelling, "Mitsukuni, what did you do that for?"

"That was rude Satoshi!" Hunny declared before returning to his seat.

"S-Sorry," he mumbled and said nothing else for the time being.

She knew antics would ensue, but she wasn't quite sure what to expect when she had entered the room. When faced with the Host Club as friends, it was always best to be on guard for anything and everything, and to never expect any one thing. Shaking her head, she held firm to Chika's hand and repeated, "Chika and I were talking and I think it's time you knew what happened between Hikaru and me. I'm…uh…some of this will come as a shock and I know you will probably have questions, just let me get it all out there before you interrogate me."

"Haruhi, we are your friends. We will behave with the utmost respect…and we never interrogate our friends," Kyoya smiled.

She didn't trust that smile. She could very well remember a time in high school when the hosts had first met Arai and it was discovered that he had been asking her out during middle school, only she hadn't realized it. They interrogated her then, complete with one light and police uniforms. Then when they found out that she and Hikaru were dating, they pulled her to the side and they asked her at least a hundred questions. If that wasn't an interrogation, she didn't know what was. "Uh, yeah. Thanks Kyoya."

"Tamaki, come here and sit down so that we may begin," the Shadow King ordered of his best friend who had latched onto Haruhi's side not occupied with Chika and was holding onto her shirt tail.

No longer could she put this off, and she should have known with Kyoya there, any and all attempts to stall would be abolished. Taking a seat next to Chika, her grip on his hand tightened and she began, "I know you have heard the allegations the Hitachiin family has thrown at me and about Hikaru's…injuries. I will say that I didn't cause all of them."

"All of…Does that mean you caused some of them?" Tamaki jumped in.

"Tamaki, she asked that we allow her to speak without interruption. We will allow her that," Kyoya reminded his friend.

The blond jumped a little and yelled, "Yes, Mommy!" in his nervousness.

That little showcase seemed to dull some of the anxiousness in the room and everyone laughed. Taking a deep breath, Haruhi began again, "To answer your questions, and please let me explain everything first, I did cause some of those injuries. Even the ones I didn't cause, I feel somewhat responsible for." She was expecting someone to say something, but no one did. Everyone remained silent, holding their breaths and waiting to hear what she would say next. "I don't think either of us were ready for marriage, but we went ahead with it because there was so much pressure from so many people. When I was told that his grandmother was dying, I granted her dying wish…only she made a full miraculous recovery right after the wedding. After the wedding, I tried to make time for him, but I was also really focused on trying to become a lawyer, to become the person I think my mom would have been proud of."

"Your mom would have been proud of you no matter what, Haru-Chan because you're a good person," Hunny exclaimed and everyone nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, Hunny, but I had this idea of the type of person and lawyer I needed to be in my head and that is what I was working towards. When you are studying for the bar exam and then doing your internship, so much of your personal time is sacrificed; and for whatever reason, the law firm I was working at saw something in me during my internship and they allowed me to do things other interns only dream of doing like going on business trips and helping with big cases. I worked my ass off to become a lawyer, you've all known that was my dream since we met, and I did it. Hikaru hated all of the time I spent away from the house and accused me of cheating more than once. He also always invited Kaoru over to the house, slept with him in the guest room instead of with me, and even tried to get me to sleep with both of them. He said it would prove my love to him. I refused. One of the times he accused me of cheating, I stormed out of the house and went to a bar. One of my friends from university was there and we had a couple of drinks. We ended up in a hotel room that night, but I couldn't do it. We kissed and made out, I satisfied him with a blow job, but nothing else happened. I couldn't do it to him. I couldn't become the woman he accused me of being. I know I still cheated on him, but I couldn't cross that final line – even if I wanted to. I told him what I had done and he went ballistic. He started yelling and pushing me, he slammed me up against the wall, and then punched a hole in the wall next to my head. There was a knife there on the sideboard because we were in the dining room at the time. I grabbed it and held it to his neck and told him to get away from me. I didn't press hard and I didn't break the skin, and yet, I knew if he did anything else to me that night, I might have. I was scared and angry. I can't remember ever feeling like that. I know a couple days later he had a knife injury on his neck exactly where I had pressed the knife. I hadn't caused it though."

She looked up and noticed the shocked expressions mirrored on everyone's faces. She had known it would be like this, but were they judging her or sympathizing? Sighing, she looked at the ground and continued, "Another night, I wasn't feeling so hot and had already thrown up a couple of times. I…I was pregnant."

"What?!" The collective gasps echoed in the room.

Nodding, she explained, "I had just found out that day when I took a home pregnancy test. I wasn't scheduled to see the doctor for a couple of days because that was the earliest mine could get me in. Hikaru wanted sex and I didn't want anyone touching me. He grabbed my arm and pulled me up the stairs and threw me on the bed. I was scared. I tried to get up and he pushed me again and slapped my face. He was upset that I wasn't paying attention to him again. This was before the knife accident. I kicked him in the crotch and when he dropped to the group in pain, I picked up a vase and dropped it on his head. I tried to leave him, but his family and Kaoru convinced me to stay. I know now they were more worried about reputation because Hikaru and Kaoru were about to come out with their own line and they didn't want scandal marring it; although, it was probably more Kaoru's work than Hikaru's. He didn't seem to create as much as he used to before we got married. So the head injury and stitches were done by me. I did it in defense. After I dropped the vase, I started to run out of the room. He grabbed my foot and I tripped and fell against the arm of a chair. Who knows what caused it, but I was in the hospital that night miscarrying. I believe the Hitachiin family said I was sick with the flu." She had to remember to breathe and had to regather her thoughts.

Before anyone could ask, Kyoya said in a quiet voice, "A miscarriage can happen for several different reasons. Stress, injury, an unviable fetus, etc."

"I know," Haruhi sniffled.

"I was telling the others," he replied. His head was spinning. Even with all his knowing, with all his suspicions, he had not been expecting to hear all of this.

"Oh. I will admit that I provoked him time and time again. He yelled, I yelled. He got mad, I got mad. It was a vicious never ending cycle with us. And because he felt like I always left him alone, he always had Kaoru over and I think Kaoru spent the night at our house more than he did his own during the marriage. We didn't have us time, and we didn't have time or inclination to fix what was broken. When he fell down the stairs and broke his leg…" she swallowed hard and said, "I did that to him. I pushed him down the stairs."

"You did what?" Chika gasped.

Her tear filled eyes turned to meet his, which were full of surprise, confusion, and disbelief. She felt as if she was about to lose him. It had been a risk and one she knew that could lose her everyone important to her, but he had been right: it was time for them to hear her version of events, "We were arguing again about Kaoru, my job, his attitude, etc. Anything and everything. Accusations were flung far and wide by both of us, and to be honest, I don't even remember what all was said. What I do remember was seeing his arm raise, his hand in a fist, his other hand was tangled in my hair pulling it, and we struggled. I finally broke free and lashed out blindly. He went down the stairs and…well, you know the rest on that one. Some of the injuries I don't even know how he got because I would leave for business trips and I would come home and he would have new ones. He told me he got them doing various things like falling while taking a walk or rough housing with his brother…one he even said he got from Hunny and Mori because they were instructing him in judo. The next day, Kaoru accused me of beating his brother up. I hadn't even been home to do it." She took another deep breath and released it, "As you can see, I'm guilty of injuring Hikaru, but it isn't as one sided as they make it out to be."

"Why…why didn't you say anything before, Haru-Chan?" Hunny questioned, tears in his eyes as well.

"I felt guilty. He wanted attention and I wasn't giving it to him. They also told me that if I kept quiet about everything that happened during my marriage, they would not force my father to pay back the money they gave him so that he could buy his own bar. It was a lot of money and I didn't want my dad to have to worry about anything. It was his dream to be a mama at his own place one day. Hikaru's parents gifted my dad with the money and that was that."

"So why talk now?" Kyoya asked his head still spinning from the revelations.

"First, I have the means to get the money to pay back if they demand it through loans and my savings. Second, it's time. I'm tired of being their punching bag. Plus, I felt like before I could move on, I needed to put the past to rest. That's what I'm doing today. Even if you hate me for what I did to him, I had to come clean."

Mori stood up and walked over to her. He stared at her for what felt like an eternity before he ruffled her hair and told her, "We don't hate you. You were strong and defended yourself. You showed true character."

"He's right, Haru-Chan! We could never hate you!" Hunny proclaimed after he swallowed a bite of lemon cake.

Watching the others nod in agreement, the Shadow King spoke up, "While I will agree that you are not exactly innocent in this whole sordid mess, you did not injure his person on purpose. Each time it was in defense of yourself. You are not to blame. Hikaru knew what he was getting into when he married you, or at least he should have had some idea of what it would be like. We all warned him that you would be incredibly busy with your career and that it would be prudent to wait. He did not, and now we know why. If his grandmother pulled that lark on you, it would stand to reason, she might have told him the same thing. Answer me this, did you know before you wed him that he was not the one for you?"

She thought about her answer for a moment before saying, "I think I did and immediately convinced myself that it was just cold feet. Or I let everyone around me convince me of that. The only ones who were not trying to convince me that marrying Hikaru would be the best decision of my life were the people in this room and my dad. Actually, he only told me to do what made me happy and at least it wasn't the blond idiot as the groom."

"Which blond idiot?" Tamaki asked. All eyes turned to him and everyone face palmed (except Mori and Kyoya because he could hide things better, but they sweat dropped). "What?"

"I believe the blond idiot she is speaking of happens to be you," Kyoya supplied pushing his glasses up his nose.

Tamaki blinked once, twice, and then screamed, "EH?! ME?!"

"Ranka never much cared for you except to say that you were a good friend that supported his daughter. He also hated how you proclaimed yourself her father."

"But, but, but…" The former president dove into the corner and started to grow mushrooms.

Turning his attention to Haruhi, the former cool host, "Well, now we know why they struck out at you as viciously as they did. They wanted to protect that little dirty secret. It would not do to have a son who has become an alcoholic to also turn into an abuser."

"Kyoya, we abused each other."

"Be that as it may, you did not strike until you were pushed into a corner…correct?"

"True, but I could have made more time for him. Maybe I could have tried harder."

"And given up your dream?"

"Maybe."

"That isn't who you are, and you would have been miserable if you had," Kyoya gave her a small smile of understanding. To be less than true to yourself…it was no way to live life, and he knew it well. If Tamaki had not shown up when he had, if they had not been forced together by Kyoya's father, the Shadow King may have settled for something not of his own choosing. He wouldn't wish that on Haruhi or anyone else.

"Sometimes we have to give up one dream to realize another."

"Not at the risk of being untrue to yourself. Not at the risk of giving up a part of you," Chika said, his voice slightly strangled. He too was trying to process everything he had heard. "When you…when you lost the baby, there had to have been bruises and stuff."

"I told them that I had been dizzy and tired, so I fell," she mumbled. "None of my injuries warranted going to the hospital. Hikaru never really did much to me. I think he sustained far greater injuries than I did."

"Serves him right!"

"Chika…"

"NO! I'm proud of you for fighting back, and if he got a couple of injuries then so be it. He was acting like a baby because you wouldn't bow down to him and make him the center of your world."

"I will agree with Yasuchika," Kyoya announced.

From his corner of woe, Tamaki was the next to speak, "We all know the twins can be spoiled and demanding, Hikaru more so than Kaoru, however, that does not mean he can treat you or any princess like he did. If he was upset about the lack of time together, he should have talked to you. He knew when you got married that you would be overly busy…such is the life of an exam student and intern. He was jealous of nothing, and worried you would find someone better than him. You shouldn't have gone to the hotel, but I kind of understand why you did."

"Tamaki…" she breathed his name.

"Yasuchika and I knew something wasn't right, but we weren't sure what it was. You were always clumsy, however, you seemed more clumsy than normal," Satoshi remarked.

"I don't think it was only the lack of time together, but the pressure his family put on him. He had no other scapegoat except me. And when anything got rough or difficult for him in the past, he always had Kaoru there to help him through it. I think that's why he depended on Kaoru so much after the wedding. Kaoru always helping his big brother, continued to stand beside him as a united front. None of us were ready for marriage. I don't think Hikaru was ready to let his brother go, he wasn't ready for a married life with me getting ready for my career, and I wasn't ready for what marriage entailed."

"And you didn't love each other," Chika reminded her.

Shaking her head, she gave him a half smile, "No, we didn't. Well, I don't know about him. I think he loved me and that's why I felt so guilty for leaving him alone and then filing for divorce. I didn't love him though. Not truly. I only convinced myself that I did. I mean I did in a way, but not the way a wife should love her husband."

The younger man swallowed hard and asked, "Even without the love, would you have stayed with him if things hadn't turned sour?"

She gave him a sympathetic expression and said, "You were going to marry and stay with someone without love." Sighing, she added, "I don't if I would have stayed or not. It's hard to say what you will or won't do until you are put in a situation where you have to decide. I didn't have a happy marriage. It started out okay and then fizzled fast. Maybe I would have come to really love him or the bubble would have never popped if it remained good. I just don't know." She hated telling him that after they had confessed to each other, but she needed to be honest with him.

Nodding, he said nothing else. He didn't know what to say. She was right. He had almost done the exact thing she had. If he hadn't realized his feelings for her, he may have decided to go through with his arranged marriage.

"Haru-Chan, Chika-Chan…" Hunny started. When he had their attention, he said, "Don't worry about the what ifs of the past, learn from what happened and move on. Make each other happy."

Throughout the confession, Chika never once released her hand. He held it tight and true from the beginning until the end. Now he let it go and he could see the hurt in her eyes. That is until he cupped both of her cheeks and told her, "I love you." He leaned in and captured her lips in a kiss. Around him, he could hear the applause from their friends and the shrieks of Tamaki. Someone was holding the blond back, and in that moment Chika didn't care who it was. He had what he needed in his hands…and Hikaru could fly to the moon for all Chika cared.

When Chika released her, Haruhi licked her lips and whispered, "Me too."

"Mommy?" Tamaki gave up his struggles and attempts to free himself from Mori's hold.

"Yes, Tamaki?" Kyoya answered.

"What are we going to do about Hikaru?"

"I believe we can discuss that later."

Hunny tilted his head to the side and asked, "Kyo-Chan, are you really engaged to Chika-Chan's fiancée?"

"Yes, I am. I believe I am her third fiancé, and they do say the third time is a charm," he smirked.

Haruhi asked because she knew what a bad marriage was like, "Are you sure you want to do that, Kyoya?"

"I do. She seems…intriguing," he answered, his grin turning amused; and in that moment, everyone wanted to know what was going on in the Shadow King's mind.


	16. Reflection

**A/N: I'm back to my previous schedule of mixing my Ouran stories with my other genres on my schedule, so as I reshuffle the deck of stories I have, I will be updating all of them in a new order. One other genre and then an Ouran. In the midst of all of this I will also be working on my Christmas story, which all of you may be happy to know….CHIKA WON BY A LANDSLIDE. Sorry Shadow King Kyoya, but Chika had double the votes you did. So bear with me as I slowly get back into the swing of things. Just be aware with the holidays and such, my updating will still be chaotic and not on my normal strict schedule I used to do. Sorry about that, but we will be back on track in January…I hope.**

 **For the story, I would like to think that when needed Tamaki can be mature. We have seen that time and time again in the series. Like the scene when he flies off the handle at the beach and then later when he finds Kyoya alone with Haruhi, and in the end, he realizes what's going on and comforts her. Or the time when she fell from the carriage, he could have panicked, but didn't. Or how about the time when he went after Hunny after he ran off and convinced him to come back and talk to Mori in Hunny's 3 Bitter Days. I say that to say, I have a reason for how he acted during Haruhi's confession. :D Enjoy the new chapter!**

Chapter 16 – Reflection

Talking had ceased. All confessions had been made and had left the group stunned. It mattered not how much they might have prepared themselves for what Haruhi had to say, no one had been expecting the extent of what she had confided. Hikaru had always been an immature little prick, and if what Haruhi said was true, he had grown into a fucking bastard of the first order. How could he have treated her so? How did she stand it? That's not to say she was completely innocent in everything, but no one, no matter who they were, deserved that kind of treatment from someone who they had pledge their lives to; and that's exactly what marriage was, a pledge. It was no wonder that Haruhi finally filed for divorce. The miracle lay in the fact that it had not happened sooner.

It didn't take long after the discussion for Haruhi and Chika to move back upstairs and for the others to find somewhere else to be in the large house. The only two that remained in the library were Tamaki and Kyoya, one studying the other sitting quietly in his corner swaying back and forth, his lips moving, but no sound could be heard. It had to have been slightly traumatizing for the blond to hear what he had, and yet, Kyoya had to give him some props for not completely losing it while everyone was in the room, and especially while Haruhi was talking. How had he managed it? If anyone was going to snap, he thought for sure it would have his best friend, but no, after he fled to corner, he had remained in control of himself and even managed to give his opinion without jumping on her. Even before that he had basically in control of himself. Granted if Tamaki would have done something like that, more than likely, he would have been knocked unconscious again or been ripped apart by Chika; then again, the blond tended to forget himself whenever Haruhi was involved. "Tamaki?" Kyoya called out tired of watching his friend act as if he had leave of his senses.

"Hmm?" The blond hummed. In his head, he was still trying to sort everything out. He had been the one to seek out Hikaru and Kaoru, and he never would have thought that the elder twin would have done something as vile as he had. Was this his fault? Had he been the one to put Haruhi in danger? When Haruhi was talking, he had agreed, as had the others, to keep quiet and wait to see what she would say, but Tamaki never expected to hear what had truly transpired between the married couple. The more he heard, the harder it was to hold back, and soon enough he felt like the only way to cope, at least for the time being, would be to shut down. He still listened, but if he allowed himself to react, he would have grabbed her, held on tightly, and never let her go again. He still wanted to go after her, wanted to lock her away and keep her safe, but he knew she would never want that, would never be happy with that kind of life.

If he had been the one she had accepted, he would have treated her like the princess she was. She wouldn't have had to seek solace from someone else, she wouldn't have been afraid, and she wouldn't have had to worry about anything. But he had been the chosen one. Hikaru had been, and the prick treated her like the dirt beneath his feet. Never before had Tamaki felt such rage. He was angry at himself for throwing Haruhi into the same group as Hikaru, enraged that Hikaru would treat her as such, and saddened that Haruhi felt like she couldn't say anything while she suffered and dealt with all of this alone.

Slowly, he was coming back to himself and his feelings were almost overwhelming. Tears filled his eyes like the dammed river during a rain storm and soon they spilled over. Tamaki cried for Haruhi, for the lost life of the baby, for the hurt and anger felt by both Haruhi and Hikaru, and for himself and the other hosts.

"Tamaki…" Kyoya called again when he saw his friend's shoulders shaking signaling that he was indeed weeping.

Sitting on the floor, hugging his knees, Tamaki turned his wet face towards one of the windows watching as the clouds rolled by. They never stopped. They just kept moving. "Kyoya, I think Yasuchika will be good for her. It's been a while since we've seen her smile like she did today. I thought…there for a long time I thought we would never get to see it again," his words were strong but soft and filled with remorse. As much as he once yearned to be her prince, he had come to the realization a long time ago that it would never be him. She would always be his friend…and daughter. After the marriage started to breakdown, Tamaki noticed that Haruhi didn't smile as much as she once did, and if she did manage something akin to a smile, it looked more forced than natural. Hunny's wedding, when she had been dancing with Chika, had been the first time he had seen her real smile in a long time. And today, without a drop of alcohol, she was able to smile at him, one that reached her eyes. As much as Tamaki might not want to admit it, looking back on it all, maybe Chika was the person she always needed.

"Indeed."

"Hikaru…why do you think he did it?"

"I think it is as Haruhi said, pressure. You succumbed to pressure yourself in high school when you were told to disband the Host Club and marry Éclair."

Lifting his head, Tamaki face palmed and feeling the wetness, wiped some of the tears away, "Please don't remind me of that."

"I do have to say that you were surprisingly calm and mature today."

"I wanted to hear what she had to say, and if I would have acted as I usually do, I wouldn't have been able to find out the whole truth."

"Amazing. So you are aware of how you act most of the time."

"Mommy!"

Kyoya held up his hand, "I'm only giving you a hard time…but it is true. Sometimes I wonder if you realize how you act or if you comprehend that we are not actually a family."

"But we are. We may not actually be in the traditional sense, but can't friends be family too?"

The Shadow King pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and smiled, "I suppose we can."

"What are we going to do about Hikaru?"

"Kaoru would like us to hold an intervention. Apparently his drinking is out of control. A couple of hours ago, he smashed a liquor bottle and cut his foot. It required fourteen stitches."

Tamaki gasped, "Why didn't you say something sooner?"

"We needed to hear the truth from Haruhi, and currently, there is nothing we can do for Hikaru. I believed more headway could be made once we heard her side of the story than could be without it."

"And now?"

"When we finally return, we will deal with him in an eye opening manner."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, he will face the ghosts of his own making. I believe that is why he started to drink in the first place."

Tamaki studied his best friend momentarily and then stated, "You suspected that was the case all along."

"I did."

"You could have confronted Haruhi sooner."

"I could have, but she was not ready to talk. We have all asked her on multiple occasions what her version of events were, and she did not divulge her secrets."

The blond paused again before asking, "Do you think she told us everything?"

"I believe she told us most of it, and that is enough for now."

"Do you think she will ever tell us the rest?"

"Possibly, but possibly not. Even if she doesn't tell us, I have a feeling that she will eventually tell Yasuchika everything plaguing her heart and conscience."

His eyes grew and he jumped up from his sitting position and pointed an accusing finger at the bespectacled man, "I believe she was telling the truth and she didn't lie! She wouldn't lie about something like this."

Blinking a couple of times, Kyoya smirked and inquired, "Did I ever accuse her of lying?"

"But you said…"

"I stated that she could still have secrets that are weighing her down. They could be worse than what she told us today, and she may never tell us what those things were, but she may talk to Yasuchika and feel lightened after. That is all I meant."

Tamaki's mouth formed a circle and he said, "Oh." His eyes peered out the window again, "Mommy?"

"What is it, daddy?" It had gotten to the point Kyoya believed they would be 90 and Tamaki would still call him "mommy".

"I just want her to be happy and treated the way she deserves."

"I agree, and I believe Yasuchika will do that for her."

"Why did you…play match maker?"

Kyoya smiled at his friend, "Because Haruhi deserved a chance at happiness and…"

When his friend didn't continue, Tamaki turned to him and pressed, "And?"

His smiled turned into more of a leer and his glasses glinted in the light, "I could easily imagine Hikaru's face when he found out that he was the sole inspiration for the plan."

Sweat dropping, the blond thought, _"_ _That's the Shadow King for you."_

In another part of the house, the dojo to be specific, Satoshi, Mori, and Hunny were all trying to process everything that they had learned earlier. They had all imagined that the truth would be horrible, but not to the extent that it had been. She had been pregnant and Hikaru caused her to miscarry? Of course according to Kyoya, the miscarriage could have happened for any number of reasons and they couldn't specifically blame Hikaru. Haruhi almost cheated, had basically cheated. Hikaru was abusive and demanding. None of this should have necessarily surprised them based on how Hikaru had always tended to be selfish, and yet, it did. Everything she said…it had all been a shock to the system.

"What are we going to do about Hikaru now?" Satoshi asked his brother and cousin.

"I bet Kyo-Chan already has a plan," Hunny's grin looked virtually evil instead of sweet and innocent like it usually did.

"Oh…Oh you think?" Satoshi knew that if his cousin wanted to be, he could be scarier than Kyoya in a heartbeat…and a lot more deadly. While Kyoya worked behind the scenes, Hunny could kill with one swift movement.

Nodding, Mori agreed, "He does, but he was waiting. We will hear about it soon."

"Hika-Chan needs to tell the truth and so does Kao-Chan!" Hunny declared.

Mori placed his hand upon Hunny's shoulder and took his fork away, giving him another that wasn't bent, "Kaoru may not know the whole truth. Hikaru could have been lying to him as well. We should not make assumptions about the situation until we know more."

"Takashi, Satoshi, did you know it would be that bad?"

Both brothers shook their head and answered, "No."

"Do you think Chika-Chan knew?"

"Mitsukuni, she didn't confide in anyone," Mori told him.

"I know. I wish she had. I wish the Hitachiin family didn't treat her like that. She didn't deserve it."

The Morinozuka brothers couldn't have agreed more. Haruhi hadn't deserved the way she had been treated by Hikaru nor his family, but they also believed that karma had a way of coming around again, and now that they knew that the family was duplicitous and had known what Hikaru was doing – at least part of it – they would make sure the family learned the error of their ways.

Upstairs, in a bedroom by themselves, Chika held Haruhi close. They weren't making love or talking, just lying there, each needing to know the other was close and there. Today had been emotionally taxing for Haruhi. It had been a long time since she had to even think about the past, and recalling the various events that happened during her marriage had been trying. The only thing she needed right now was for Chika's arms to hold her tightly just like he was doing. And as she lay there listening to his heartbeat, her eyes drifted close. His arms always made her feel like she was home, safe, and loved whenever she was within their grasp.


	17. Cut Off

**A/N: If you haven't seen it, I have written and published my annual Christmas story titled, The Grinch Who Won the Princess. It is a Chika/Haruhi story. I told Narulover2 that I would update this when I was done with my Christmas story. For some reason I thought it was next in my lineup, but it wasn't. That's okay though. I pushed it forward and will update this story and then get back to my normal schedule. I promise in the next chapter there will be more M and it will be a little less drama. Enjoy!**

Chapter 17 – Cut Off

Kaoru flinched as he leaned against the doors that gave access to his brother's room. Inside, he could hear things being thrown about, some even hitting the door where he stood on the other side. He hadn't wanted to, but the younger twin felt as if he had no choice. No choice at all.

When Hikaru had returned home from the hospital, the first thing he had wanted was a drink. Mixing it with pain killers didn't seem to bother the older twin and Kaoru got worried. Hell, he had been worried, but this…this behavior was even more reckless than before and Kaoru could no longer stand idly by and watch his brother destroy himself. Once Hikaru passed out from the drugs and drinking, his younger brother creeped quietly into the room and removed all of the alcohol, choosing to do it himself instead of employing a staff member because he couldn't be sure they wouldn't leave something for Hikaru to find later. They worked for his parents and therefore, they would do what their employers said. And as the patient continued to snore after all traces of alcohol were removed, Kaoru shut the door with a soft click and locked it from the outside.

His parents would probably think that their youngest son had lost his mind, but Kaoru didn't care. He was beyond caring what his parents or the servants thought at this point because the only thing that mattered to him was getting his brother back. Not the drunkard or the person inside the locked room, but his real brother. The one he used to joke with, love, and have fun with. The man inside the room…that wasn't his brother. He was only the shell of the man who Kaoru once shared the womb with.

Had Hikaru's marriage to Haruhi been so horrible that she had turned him into this? For some reason, Kaoru felt like he was missing a large piece of the puzzle. Maybe she wasn't as guilty as he initially believed her to be, however, his brother had entered that marriage full of smiles and hope, and had left bitter, drunk, and injured physically, mentally, and deep within his soul.

Seeing a maid walking towards him with a glass decanter filled with amber liquid, Kaoru stopped her and asked, "Where are you going with that?"

"Hikaru-sama has requested it," she answered quickly. Things had changed since the eldest son had moved back into the house and all of the servants felt like they were walking on egg shells.

"No. No more. I don't want anyone entering that room without my permission."

"But…"

"No buts. No one goes in there and no one is to bring him any more alcohol," he ordered in a clipped tone of voice. When she scurried away, he muttered under his breath, "If my brother wants to destroy his liver further, he will have to do it where I won't have to watch him wallowing and trying to kill himself." He wasn't sure when they would come, but he really hoped his friends would come soon. He didn't know if he could handle Hikaru alone, and quite honestly, he was terrified at what his brother had become.

Inside the room, Hikaru had felt like he had been buried under a blanket of dirt when he first came to. His skin was itchy and peeling, his hair probably held enough grease to grease a wheel on a car or to cook with, and there was a nauseating odor surrounding him. His mouth felt more like a cotton ball dispenser than a mouth, his eye lids were full of lead and didn't want to open, and his head felt like it was being crushed by a vice grip, clamp, and tourniquet all at the same time while a jackhammer tried to drill a hold into his skull. All in all, he felt like utter shit.

When he was finally able to peel open his eyes and sort of wake up, he stumbled to his table and was quickly reminded of what he had done to his foot. He needed a drink; only when he got to his table, nothing was there. He spun around the room and fell to the ground in a dizzy stupor, and when he regained some of his composure he surveyed his room again. Everything was truly gone. The only thing he could find was a pitcher of water. Water was the last thing he wanted. Water wouldn't deaden his senses, wouldn't take away the pain, wouldn't make it to where he couldn't feel any longer, and wouldn't allow him to forget. Water would keep him sober – the last thing he wanted to be.

Floundering and limping towards his bedroom door, he was shocked to find it locked. He couldn't get out. In a rage, he started to pick up anything he could get his hands on and throw it. Expensive vases, cologne bottles, books, pens, sketchpads, etc. Nothing was safe. And when he finished, he sat in the middle of his room breathing heavily before he decided to crawl to the phone sitting on his nightstand and called for another bottle of whisky.

He waited anxiously for the door to open, for his escape from reality that the brown liquid would bring him, but it never came. His brother was a traitor. He could hear Kaoru out there dismissing the maid and telling her that no one was allowed to bring him any more alcohol. How dare he? His life was not Kaoru's to live! This was his life and if he wanted to drink, then he would do whatever the fuck he wanted to do and no one would be able to stop him. He just needed to figure out a way out of the room. If it was locked, that meant that Kaoru was probably the one to lock him in. His parents would probably release him; however, Hikaru wouldn't put it past his little brother to have that particular base covered as well.

If Tamaki could be reached, he would save him…maybe. Honestly, with the hosts, it would be a flip of the coin. Because of the way he treated Haruhi during their marriage and after the divorce, compounded by his drinking, he had the feeling he had burned some bridges. They might still be standing, however, they were probably on the verge of falling…which was bullshit! Haruhi had yet to defend herself and they only knew his version of events, so why were they being nice to her? Why were they still friends with her? Why weren't they siding with him? The Haninozuka and Morinozuka treated him and Kaoru as if they were lepers – not only Mori, Hunny, Satoshi, and Chika, but the families sided with Haruhi as well – while Kyoya and Tamaki seemed to remain stuck in the middle.

Hikaru could vaguely recall having a brief conversation with Kyoya one day about some of his wounds, but he steadfastly kept to his lie that Haruhi had been the cause of everything. The Shadow King didn't believe him. It was in those eyes staring at him through the clear lenses…Kyoya didn't believe anything coming out of Hikaru's mouth; and yet, the third Ootori son did nothing and remained neutral. Maybe it was because Haruhi had refused to defend herself.

So many lies. They were compounded and weighing down on him, but he couldn't take back anything he said. If he did, if he spoke the truth, he would lose everything. This was all Haruhi's fault anyway. Even if she didn't cause the physical wounds, she still held all the blame…all the blame…all the…all…

Without the alcohol in his system, even he couldn't continue to lie to himself. He had been a selfish prick and wanted more than she could give. He succumbed to the pressure his family was putting on him and when she didn't conform, he started to pull away from her. He desired and thirsted for all of her attention, and when he didn't get it, he thought that if he did something to catch her attention all would be well. In truth, it seemed more like something a child would do instead of a grown man. He had even pulled an innocent Kaoru into his deviousness and in the end, his brother had sided with him…as he should have. The others should have as well, but they hadn't.

How was Haruhi now? Was she all right? Even with the divorce, was her law career everything she hoped it would be? Why did he care? He cared. Regardless of what happened, he still cared. He knew he had lost her forever, but he still loved her and wanted her with him. They had given into the pressure and their relationship had suffered. Maybe, just maybe, they suffered because of him, because he had not been strong enough to stand up for them, for her, for him.

Damn he needed a drink! Thinking about all of this, remembering, made his chest hurt and his head throb even more than it was. Was this his brother's plan? To torture him? Tears started to run down his face, dripping onto the expensive Persian carpet he was sitting on. He didn't want to think or feel any longer. He wanted to wrap his hate, anger, and hurt around him like a suit of armor…too much. Everything was just too much!

On the other side of the door, Kaoru could hear his brother crying and he could feel his own tears start to fall. His brother's hurts were his own, but he knew of no other way to help him than to do this, "Please guys…hurry."

 ** _Elsewhere…_**

Kyoya's phone dinged alerting him to the fact he got a new text message, and gazing at his phone, he read the plea from Kaoru to come over. The younger Hitachiin twin wanted an intervention for his brother, but was he prepared for his own intervention? Before they could help Hikaru, Kaoru needed to face reality and to come to terms with the truth; and Kyoya didn't know if either twin was ready for what awaited them in their near future.

There was also Haruhi to consider. Although she reluctantly shared her side of the story with the people who had not abandoned her, they were not the people who had been her judge, jury, and executioners. That role belonged to Hikaru and Kaoru, and the rest of the Hitachiin family. It was time she faced her demons head on, to stare the down and show that she was no longer going to be hurt or pushed around by them, that she held the power. It sounded all well and good in Kyoya's head, but he didn't know if she could do it. Telling her friends, people who had never judged her for what happened, was one thing…the Hitachiin family was another beast entirely. And while Chika would be there to support her, as would her friends, she still had to stand on her own two feet and meet them head on. Was she ready for something so monumental?

"Kaoru says Hikaru is getting worse and we need to come quickly," Kyoya spoke aloud.

The only person to hear him, the only person in the room was Tamaki, "Then we should go."

"And what about Haruhi?"

"What do you mean? We can't let her near them!" The blond shouted suddenly nervous and antsy. Just the thought of them doing something more to her…he couldn't allow that to happen.

"It's time she face her accusers."

"No!"

"Tamaki…"

"NO!"

"She needs to…"

"NO!"

"He's right, Tamaki. It's time I confronted them, and if I can help Hikaru in some way, I want to. We hurt each other in our marriage," Haruhi spoke from the doorway, Chika by her side, his arm wrapped around her waist.

"He hurt you! You lost a baby!"

Her hands clenched into fists, and she snapped, "I KNOW! I know what happened! You don't have to remind me! But I can't blame the entire fallout on him. If I did, I would be no better than him. I'm not saying that what he did was right, however, I wasn't exactly a saint during our marriage either. They say hindsight is 20/20, and if I knew then what I know now, I would have never married him. Neither one of us should have given into the pressure, but what's done is done, and it's time I stopped allowing them to keep the upper hand. Like I said before, I can't move forward until I face my past."

Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, Kyoya nodded, "Well said. We will leave in the morning then."

"She needs to do this, Tama-Chan," Hunny said from behind the new couple. The last thing he wanted to do was to throw Haruhi into the ring with the twins, but she was right.

"Haruhi…" Tamaki began.

"I can't keep ignoring it," her voice was soft and cracked, but the feel of Chika tightening his grip on her helped to reassure her.

Kissing the side of her head, Chika pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly, "It'll be all right. I'll be with you every step of the way."

Mori stepped into the room and placed his hand on the blonde's shoulder, "We will all be there with her to protect her."

"You're right, Mori. They will not be able to do anything to her because we will be her knights and protect her!" Tamaki pulled an imaginary swore out of a sheath and held it in the air. In his mind, he could see it so clearly, however, to everyone else, he was just posing.

"Now that we've settled that, let's discuss the intervention for both Hikaru and Kaoru," Kyoya smirked. The twins' reign of terror was about to come to an end.


	18. Fears Faced

**A/N: So 2016 is not starting so well for me. About the time I was updating stories and getting back into the swing of things, I fell and got a concussion, which meant no computer for two weeks. I snuck on earlier this week and updated my rumor stories and technically I'm not supposed to be on the computer until next week, but do you know how hard it is to stay off the computer, not think about my stories, and not write anything for two weeks straight? HARD! I also wasn't allowed to watch any dramatic TV or watch most of my anime. I tried Prince of Tennis and my headache got worse. So, here I am sneaking onto the computer again in an attempt to do some writing. I promise the intervention in the next chapter! Enjoy!**

 **PS…for those who have been anticipating it, the first chapter of Kyoya's story will be up either this weekend or Monday. It will encompass both Chinese New Year (Feb 8** **th** **–** **year of the Monkey) and Valentine's Day.**

Chapter 18 – Fears Faced

A simple conversation. That's what it should have been, simple, easy, and straightforward; however, the discussion about the twins' intervention turned into anything but simple. Tamaki wanted to avenge his little girl and pour a bucket of ice water (the size of the Titanic) on both of the twins – double for Hikaru. Hunny had agreed that something needed to be done to them. Mori and Kyoya tried to nix those ideas, but Chika wanted to explore torture more for what they had done to Haruhi. It was finally the girl in question who stood up and announced, "No one is going to torture anybody! It sounds to me as if they have been suffering enough! We are going to go in there and talk calmly and rationally…eh…well, as much as possible considering the…um…circumstances."

"Circumstances or people?" Chika snorted, amusement gleaming in his eyes.

"Both?" Haruhi stated with a small smile tugging at her lips. How long had it been since she allowed herself to enjoy her friends' company? Too long. She almost forgot how crazy, unrealistic, outlandish, difficult, and utterly endearing all of them could be. When she had first met them, she believed they were loud and annoying and she just wanted her prison sentence to end as quickly as possible, but as time passed, she realized how enjoyable it was to be around them, how much fuller her life seemed with them in it…even if they were a bit delusional at times (read that as most of the time). "Look, I'm just saying that we're going there to help, not torture them."

"Haruhi is correct," Kyoya spoke with an air of authority as he pushed his glasses up his nose. "As I was saying prior to a certain idiot…" his eyes fell on Tamaki and he smirked as he watched his best friend dive behind the very couch he had been sitting on a mere moment before, "We will need to address the twins individually. Kaoru is asking for our assistance. We will talk to him when we arrive and then we will confront Hikaru. His drinking is getting out of hand, which leads me to believe - as I have thought previously – he is punishing himself for something, most likely his part in the destruction of the marriage. My recommendation is that we assess the situation, talk to Kaoru, and then tread lightly. The last thing we need is for Hikaru to spiral completely out of control. The latest text message from Kaoru states that he has locked Hikaru in his bedroom and is not allowing anyone to enter or exit. He has claimed responsibility over Hikaru's well-being."

As Kyoya finished his speech, Tamaki's phone started to ring and he answered it without glancing at the screen, "Moshi, moshi."

"Tamaki?" A pained groan sounded through the speaker.

Pulling the phone away from his ear and peering at the screen, the blond gasped, "Hikaru?"

"What's wrong with Hika-Chan?" Hunny questioned softly so that the caller would not be able to hear him. He didn't trust the elder twin, but that didn't mean he wanted the man to suffer…unless it was at his own hands.

Without another thought, Tamaki switched the call to speaker and asked, "Hikaru? What's wrong?"

"I'm a prisoner. They…my brother...he locked me up," the choked sob and subsequent sniffling came through loud but muffled.

The blond was at a loss. How was he supposed to proceed? What was he supposed to say?

Kyoya took the lead, "And what exactly would you have us to do about your predicament?" His words were harsh, clipped, and his tone made him sound far superior to the man on the speaking from the other side of the phone.

"Kyoya?"

"You would be correct."

"You have to get me out of here. He's gone crazy! I don't have anything to drink, I can't get out, and he's starving me!"

While the others in the room rolled their eyes and face palmed, the Shadow King remained in control, "First Haruhi and now your brother? My, my, you do have issues."

"Kyoya!" Hikaru hissed.

"We will be there to free you from your prison tomorrow."

"Why not tonight? I need…"

"You need to sober up, and while I am sure you don't fully appreciate the fact that you are locked in your room with nothing to drink, we are not currently in Tokyo and cannot immediately come to your rescue. Therefore, we will be back in town tomorrow and will deal with the situation at that time."

Knowing he didn't have much choice, Hikaru swallowed hard, the sound coming across loud and clear through the phone, "Fine." What else could he do? Nothing. Hunny and Mori wouldn't help him, ergo his only option lie with Tamaki and Kyoya…more so the former than the latter.

As soon as the line disconnected, Hunny said, "He doesn't sound good."

"Detox. It will get worse before he gets better," Kyoya stated simply. It was a condition he had seen more than once in patients and he realized he was probably the most prepared for what they were walking into. "At this point, he will do anything for a drink. The doctors probably put him on pain killers for his foot, and if Kaoru was smart, he would have taken those away as well, otherwise he will more than likely trade one dependency for another."

"Kyo-Chan?"

"He is an alcoholic and has a problem. This will not be easy for him, and what we will see tomorrow will not be pretty. Prepare yourselves. He will probably say things he doesn't mean. By the time we meet with him, he will more than likely be sober, but that doesn't mean he won't have a hangover or still feel the effects of the alcohol." He turned to Haruhi, "Are you certain you are ready for this? You will be attacked more than anyone tomorrow and it could turn barbarous."

"I have to be," she stated simply, her voice full of certainty. Fear and nervousness put her body on edge, but she any other option had long ago flew the coop. It was time to take a stand and to face her past.

"We will convene in the foyer at 8am, when we will leave for the airport, arriving at the Hitachiin manor by 11am."

All eyes moved back and forth, no one quite wanting to voice their thoughts.

"Is there an issue with the time?" Kyoya demanded.

"Kyoya, it isn't the time per se, however, if I remember correctly…" Haruhi hedged seeking support from the others and finding zero before she announced, "You like your sleep."

"I assure you that I am fully capable of awakening to an early call time. I may not prefer it, however that being said, this is not something that can wait." He would have liked to sleep later, but between the plea from Kaoru and the call from Hikaru, they would not be able to delay their trip.

"Why don't we just go tonight then?"

"It would be safer to go in the morning. There is a strong wind coming in from the Northwest," he began and gave her a pointed look before telling her, "In addition, a storm is moving in and will be here throughout the night." His eyes darted to Chika, "You understand?"

Hearing the gasp coming from the woman at his side had him pulling her closer to him. Storm or not, Chika never had any intention of leaving her side, but knowing a storm would be blowing in, he wanted to hold her that much tighter to prove to her she never had to fear anything ever again because he would always protect her. Running his hand through her hair, he whispered, "It can't hurt you. I'm here."

For some reason she had never quite been able to get over her fear of storms, and yet, hearing Chika's declaration, she found the knot in her stomach loosening just a smidge.

"A storm?! Don't worry Haruhi! Daddy will…" Tamaki stopped midway to the brunette, frozen in his tracks by Chika's icy glare.

"Tama-Chan, I think Chika-Chan can help Haru-Chan this time. Don't you?" Hunny's smile may have appeared sweet and innocent, but his voice brooked no room for argument.

The blond had reacted without thinking once again. With Haruhi, some things had become habit throughout the years, and helping her through a storm had always been one of those things. However, now as he watched her clinging to the younger man, he knew he no longer needed to help her through her fears; and as much as he wanted to pull her out of Chika's arms, as much as he wanted to be the one she depended on, he knew he couldn't be – either that or he was too terrified of what would happen to him if he crossed Hunny and/or Chika. Just the thought of it sent his body into fight or flight (mainly flight) mode and his found himself starting to panic, "I…I think…he'll do an excellent job of protecting her!" Tamaki leaped behind the couch once again and pulled his knees to his chest as he started to rock back and forth.

Kyoya didn't even want to begin imagining what was going through Tamaki's head in that moment. Instead, he cleared his throat and said, "If that is all, Yasuchika, Haruhi, the storm is scheduled to be here in an hour or so. Might I suggest heading upstairs now?" Once they were gone, he told the remaining hosts, "Be prepared for anything tomorrow. I don't trust Kaoru, and I trust Hikaru even less than him."

 ** _Upstairs…_**

The moment they were secured in their room, the bedroom door shut and the locked flipped so that no one (read that as Tamaki) could come flying in attempting to rescue or help Haruhi, the couple clung to each other, their arms entwining around their lover's body as they stumbled to the bed. Maybe it was the hope that sex would tire them knocking Haruhi out before the storm, or maybe it would provide a distraction for Haruhi if she were engaged in something that was keeping her mind and body occupied and her thoughts away from the impending storm, or it could have been sheer need and desire to be skin to skin with the other. It mattered not. The only thing that mattered to them was somehow removing their clothes without releasing their embrace.

Stripping could have been an Olympic event. Trying to rip clothes off another body while kissing, touching, and grabbing each other was not exactly the easiest feat to accomplish. Sounds of material ripping and buttons flying could be heard in the room, but the couple paid them no heed. In fact, the faster they came off, the better. If they were ruined in the process, well that was just the spoils of war…or love…or sex…or…you get the drift.

With her top off and her bra yanked off of her after the clasp had been broken – Chika hadn't wanted to fumble with any hooks – Haruhi's hand reached for the zipper on her lover's pants and pulled downward. She needed his pants off of him, or at least access to his dick. Maybe if she allowed herself to think about it, she could laugh at how they can go from hot, heavy, fast sex to making slow love. Each time they were together, it was better than the last and it didn't matter how it happened.

Right now, she just wanted him, needed him. She needed to forget the sound of Hikaru's voice over the phone call because if she thought about it, she wanted to weep. It no longer sounded like the self-assured and cocky older twin she had known and loved from high school. Hikaru now sounded so broken. Regardless of how their marriage had turned out and ended, regardless of how hurt and angry she was, she never wanted this for her ex-husband.

"Hey. Haruhi, are you okay?" Chika's voice was gentle as his hands rubbed up and down her arms. "We don't have to…" Although, considering her hand was wrapped loosely around his cock, stopping was going to be hard. It wasn't moving and she wasn't gripping it tightly, but her hand on him was enough to make him want to cum. He would stop for her, if that's what she wanted.

She had allowed her mind to wander, to think about Hikaru and how different he sounded on the phone. Leaning forward, her forehead rested on Chika's chest, right over his heart and she smiled. He was so different from Hikaru. It wasn't only the size of his package, his muscles and body, it was more. It was in the way he spoke to her, the timbre of his voice, and how he held her. It was in the way he made her heart flutter just being near him, and how she was happy to be with him regardless of the circumstances. No problem, conflict, wall, or anything else would be too great for them. Even when she feared his reaction or what he would say, she knew deep inside that he would not abandon her, that he would lay down everything to be with her. Of course before he showed up at the house, she hadn't been 100% about it all…she had hoped, but she hadn't been sure. And now, she could see forever with him, something she never actually saw or felt with Hikaru. She had wanted to – so much – but that feeling never came. Chika was different. He was the man she would be willing to give up everything for, even her career; and yet, he was the man who would never ask that of her, and she loved him for that all the more.

"Haruhi?" He knew she was thinking, sorting through her thoughts. Hearing Hikaru over the phone couldn't have been easy. Hell, having the meeting, talking about her past, deciding to face the Hitachiin brood hadn't been easy either, but she had held her head up high and had made it through. He was proud and exuberant that she had picked him. She had chosen him to give her heart and love to.

"I'm…I'm all right."

"Are you sure?" She still hadn't released her hold on him and it was getting harder to focus and keep himself from moving. Not his proudest moment given what she was dealing with, but he was still a guy with his lover's hand wrapped around his dick.

Pulling back, she looked up at him with a small smile on her face and nodded, "Yeah." She stretched her body in order to press her lips against his and her hand tightened on his lower body.

The feeling of her hand constricting around him, had him moaning loudly and he met her lips, kissing her with everything he had, pouring his love and desire for her into that one action. The urgency and rush had been extinguished, but their passion, love, and need had not. Pushing her hand away from him, he lifted her into his arms and gently laid her on the bed. Slowly he stripped her jeans and panties off, kissing her from her toes up her legs and when he reached the junction between her thighs, he picked up the other leg and started with those toes. This time when he came to her apex, he licked her slit, sucking on her clit and drinking in the juice she released. He smiled when he felt her hands slide into his hair, and he knew she was close when the grip tightened, almost painfully, as she pulled his hair and then pushed him closer a split second later. Pressing two fingers into her, he curled them upwards and felt as she fell apart above him. Her moans and panting turned to screams and her hole clenched around him, tightly gripping his fingers refusing to relinquish them. And when her climax subsided, he stripped his own jeans off and lifted himself over her, locking his eyes with hers before he sank his member into her moist heat, stopping only for a moment when he bottomed out so that he could savor the feel of her surrounding him.

Haruhi had never felt such pleasure at the hands of any man the way she did with Chika. She was the instrument and he was the musician. He sent her soaring to heights she never thought possible, and when she came down from her high, he was right there with her. They rode the high together.

Feeling him move within her still sensitive core, she started rushing towards her climax again. Each time he pushed in or pulled out, his dick rubbed against her g-spot; and the moments when he pushed all the way in, he would rotate his hips in such a way that her clit was stimulated. This man knew what he was doing and she loved it…loved him.

His climax was coming too quickly. Feeling her heat, the way she contracted her muscles around him, he couldn't control himself. He wanted to savor this time with her, wanted to allow her to climax one more time before he allowed himself to fall over the ledge of pleasure, but this time, it wasn't meant to be. He felt his balls contract and the next thing he knew, he released his seed with in her.

She felt him climax and the pressure she felt with his release triggered her own and she followed him over the cliff. She wasn't mad or disappointed he hadn't been able to control his own climax, if anything, she was kind of happy that she could make him lose some semblance of control. Since she had known him, he had prided himself on his control. Two people could shatter it: his brother could make him lose his temper, and Haruhi could make it lose his head. She felt a small thrill of elation and power…of course that could have been from the two powerful and satisfying climaxes she just experienced. Out of breath, she wrapped her legs and arms tightly around him so that he wouldn't pull out too soon. She wasn't ready for him to leave her yet. Pulling him downward, she kissed him and whispered, "I love you."

"I love you too," he grinned and sealed his lips with hers. The moment was sweet and satisfying until the first flash of lightning and crash of thunder. He had forgotten to pull the curtains, a mistake he regretted as soon as she accidentally bit his tongue. Thankfully, it was a flesh wound and nothing more.

Jumping off the bed, he pulled everything shut so that no light would come through and he turned on the television, allowing it to drown out any sounds and cast a glow about the room just in case any light wanted to trickle in from a small crack. His task done, he returned to the bed and pulled her to him. Not for the first time he wondered why she was so afraid and what it would take to slay her dragons, but that could wait for another night. They had other enemies to defeat first. "Shh. I'm here and nothing will get you."

She rested her head over his heart and listened to the thump thump of his heart. The thunder and lightning scared her, but having him here made the terror she felt decrease. Her arms held him tightly as she focused on his heartbeat and soon she found herself relaxed enough to at least close her eyes and eventually, she entered into a fitful sleep. Dreams plagued her and she could still hear the thunder, but Chika never left or abandoned her, and that made all the difference in the world.


	19. Kaoru Faces Facts

**A/N: As promised here is the (at least the beginning) of the intervention. I also have been informed that my Twilight story Impressions has been nominated for two awards. If you go to** **www. thenoncanonawards . wordpress . com (remove spaces), you can vote for me if you would like. You can vote as many times as you want and voting closes on the 25** **th** **. I know this is an Ouran story and that's Twilight, but if you would like to vote for me regardless, please do so. Thank you! Enjoy the new chapter!**

Chapter 19 – Kaoru Faces Facts

Haruhi could pretend as if she was not about to step into what could be considered by some, the very bowels of hell. She could pretend that she wasn't scared and that her heart wasn't racing. She could pretend that she was unaffected by her past. But that would be a lie. All of it would and reality was not so kind to her.

In truth, the moment her alarm cried out waking both she and Chika up from a fitful sleep, she felt on edge, as if whatever happened today would literally change her life forever. Her nerves ran on overdrive making her cheeks flushed and goosebumps dot her body. It felt as if her heart would pound out of her chest while her blood double timed it though her veins. Scared? More than a little bit to be sure. Her stomach was on the verge of launching a revolt, and it didn't help matters that Tamaki had decided to fix her breakfast plate for her. The thing had been overloaded with what she was sure was every spare scrap of food in the house that had not managed to land on everyone else's plate. Maybe if she were like Hunny with cake, she could have devoured the toppling pile, but she wasn't and she barely got one bite in before she pushed it away and stated she was full.

And now as she stood on the tarmac at the local private airport where the plane waited to whisk them away back home, she found herself frozen, rooted to her spot. She wanted to help Hikaru, she did, but she was afraid. Last night flying home and helping the twins sounded good and she was all for it, but in the light of the morning, her fears and anxiety peeked out from behind the carefully constructed wall she had built within herself. She was walking into the lion's den and there was no telling what would happen or if she would come out intact on the other side. Something deep within her told her that she wouldn't, and she had to agree. Could she really go through with this whole intervention? Wasn't it better for Hikaru that she not be there? Couldn't the others handle it?

Feeling a strong arm snake around her waist and pull her close, Haruhi looked up and into the eyes of the very man that had helped pull her out of her own darkness. Chika. She needed him like she needed to breathe. How could one man, one person, become so important to her?

"You okay?" he asked concern flowing freely.

"Um yeah. Just needed to…" her voice trailed off right before she dropped her head. "I just. Saying we were going to do this is one thing, actually following through…it's a little harder than I thought."

"No one is making you do this. If you would rather, I'll take you back to the house and the others can go without us."

Her eyes darted to the door of the plane where her friends watched her standing next to Chika and she found a small laugh, "Do you think they would approve?"

His own gaze followed hers before he shrugged, "Not sure. They aren't really my concern though. If they don't know how to travel…" He stopped abruptly, "Okay, Tamaki does need a chaperone, but Kyoya is already on the plane."

"The Shadow King would probably fine me or make me disappear if I don't come with them."

"I don't really give a flying fuck about what he thinks or doesn't. It's not about him, this is about you and if you're not ready, no one will force your hand. I won't let them."

That simple statement seemed to make everything better. No, it didn't suddenly dispel all of her fears, it didn't stop the anxiety or her nervousness from tying up her stomach, and it sure as hell didn't suddenly make sure want to storm the castle with a take no prisoners type of attitude; but it did make her feel as if she could face her fears – in this case the twins – and while she might come out slightly the worse for wear and a little scathed, she would make it through. "I guess we better go."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"All right," he nodded and guided her to the steps, allowing her to enter the plane first because he was still a gentleman; however, as soon as she was grabbed by a certain blond, Chika wondered if he should have laughed in the face of manners and ascended the stairs first in order to protect Haruhi.

"Are you all right?!" Tamaki yelled into Haruhi's ear. As soon as her foot hit the stop step, he had been unable to resist and grabbed her, pulling her onto the plane.

"I'm fine. Now, let me go," Haruhi ordered, wondering if this would be the time when he would finally listen to her. It wasn't.

"But you were standing out there for twenty minutes without moving. You were just staring. We were so worried. Weren't we mommy?"

Adjusting his glasses, Kyoya answered, "Speak for yourself, Tamaki. Unlike you, we had every confidence in Yasuchika and Haruhi. This is not an easy situation and it would be understandable if she were a little hesitant…shall we say?"

"Tamaki, let her go. Ignoring the fact that she has already asked you to release her, this is not the outdoors and if you continue to swing her around either she or someone else could become injured," Chika growled afraid if he threatened the blond or said something else, he might act like a skittish animal and cause damage to the one in his arms.

"MOMMY!" Tamaki yelled.

His hands stilled, his fingers no longer typing on his laptop, when he looked up and narrowed his eyes, his lenses glinting in the light. The words Kyoya chose carried and edge of steel when spoke, "Release her Tamaki. Yasuchika is quite right. And if you don't sit down and behave for the entire flight, I will make arrangements that you arrive at our final destination unconscious."

A high pitch squeak exited the former president's mouth and he immediately let go of the girl in his arms. Flying into the seat opposite of his best friend, he pulled the seatbelt across his lap, strapped himself in, and then sat back. He still bounced, but he said nothing and did not try to grab Haruhi again.

"It's nice to see you still have an intact brain and can use it," the Shadow King commented.

Minus the sounds of Hunny shoveling cake into his mouth and Mori telling him to wipe it or to brush his teeth, the plane ride was quiet, everyone lost to their own thoughts. No one was under any kind of delusion about what they were going to find or what they were in fact going to do. They all knew and understood their mission, even if they all might have secretly wished that the situation had not become so dire hoping against hope that Kaoru was overreacting; and yet, they knew he wasn't. They had all seen how Hikaru had started the dangerous downward spiral, and if they couldn't reach him now, they all feared of what could come.

It wasn't until they arrived at the Hitachiin estate, met by a flustered, tired, and distraught looking Kaoru, did another word get spoken, and at that point, it was in Haruhi's defense.

Kaoru had been alerted to his friend's arrival by the front gate and had rushed down the stairs and out the front door. What he had not been expecting was to see a certain brunette in the group. His eyes glared daggers and he sneered, "What the hell is she doing here? I thought you wanted to help my brother!" He might have had his doubts about what really happened between Hikaru and Haruhi, and part of him might have wanted to find out some real answers, to hear her side of the story, but his loyalties still lie with his brother…and quite honestly, with Hikaru's current state of mind, seeing Haruhi was probably more of a detriment than it was any kind of help.

"I can assure you that is the reason we are here, and the reason Haruhi has joined us," Kyoya answered, his confident, authoritative air daring the younger man to argue.

Chika did not appreciate the way Kaoru looked down upon Haruhi and made sure to wrap an arm around her, pulling her tightly to his side, he sent his own glare in the redhead's direction. Kaoru only needed to say one more word, give Haruhi a little more attitude, and Chika would make sure to pull his tongue out using nothing more than brute force.

Kaoru's eyes seemed to narrow in on the way Chika held Haruhi and he spat, "You think you can just waltz back in and pretend that everything is all right?"

"I never said that?" Haruhi's voice sounded braver and seemed to hold more confidence than she felt. "I came here because…"

"She came here because it's time to set the record straight," Tamaki interrupted showing one of his rare more mature moments in life. He knew it hadn't been easy for Haruhi to come and face her demons, and he wouldn't let Kaoru to knock her down before they even made it through the door. They said the truth could set you free, and he hoped his younger friend – both of them – were ready for the truth.

"He is correct," Kyoya backed his friend up without missing a beat. In his mind, he thought, _"_ _We can either do this the easy way or the hard way."_ Out loud he said, "Where can we go to…talk?"

"My brother…"

"Your brother is a liar!" Chika snapped.

This time, Kaoru's judgmental eyes fell upon the younger man, "Let me guess…"

Hunny took a step forward and growled in a low voice, "Be careful what you say next, Kao-Chan."

"He is correct," Kyoya pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and stated once again, "We need to have a discussion. We can either have it here in front of your entire household including servants, or we can go inside. It is up to you."

Kaoru's eyes roamed from face to face before he acquiesced, "We can go into mine and Hikaru's workroom. It is probably the most private space besides our bedrooms." Turning on his heal, he calmly walked up the stairs and entered the house first. He mentally crossed his fingers that he projected the calmness he was nowhere near feeling.

Leading the way to the workroom, he wondered what Haruhi had to say. What had she told the others that had enticed them to bring her with them? For that matter, why in fucks name, after the way his family treated her, did she actually decide to come to his home? Had the world ended and he didn't know it yet? Were pigs finally flying with the use of their own wings? Were cows turning purple? Again the niggling doubt crept up inside him and while he might not outwardly show it, he was curious about what she had to say.

Once the doors were shut, he crossed his arms over his chest and shrugged as if bored, "You wanted to talk, so talk."

It was Mori who spoke before anyone, "You need to listen to her."

"Mori is correct. There are always two sides to every story and you cannot tell me you have never doubted your brother. You and Hikaru were her best friends in high school. Did you ever witness her behaving like the monster your brother made her out to be?" Kyoya pressed.

They were right, but that didn't make this any easier for Kaoru.

"Kaoru, this isn't only an intervention for your brother, but for you too," Satoshi said, a note of sadness tinging his voice.

"Me?" the younger twin scoffed.

"Yes, you," Tamaki's soft voice made it sound as if he were on the verge of tears.

She couldn't continue to let everyone speak for her. Yes, they were defending her, but she needed to speak up and have her own voice if she wanted to move forward. Clearing her throat, she finally said, "Kaoru, I need you to listen to what I'm going to say. I know you don't like me much and that you love your brother – you've always been together and supported each other when no one else did – but not everything is or was how you believe." This was a good start. He might be glaring at her, ready to brush aside anything she had to say, but he kept quiet and just stared at her with a harsh expression waiting for what she was going to say, almost as if he wanted to deny her existence and couldn't, or as if he wanted to deny anything she might say could sway him and his support.

Her mouth suddenly felt parched and she had to lick her dry lips. Feeling the arm around her waist squeeze tightly, she nodded without looking at Chika and began, "Your brother wasn't completely honest with you. Things changed for us after we got married, but I guess they actually started to change before we got married. I don't know when exactly. Neither of us were ready for marriage and your family forced us to take the leap, which turned out to be the biggest mistake in our lives." It felt as if she were in court and arguing the biggest case of her career. If she failed…she didn't even want to think about the consequences. Ploughing ahead, she kept eye contact with her accuser, trying to keep her nerves intact, unwilling to break contact or flinch lest he take it as a sign of weakness, fault, or duplicity. Never before had she felt like so much were at stake as she did right now in this moment. She told him everything and held nothing back, and when she was done, she wrapped up her closing argument, "That is what really happened. I'm not saying that I am completely innocent in this. I'm not, but neither is your brother. We're both guilty of hurting each other…"

Chika snapped, interrupting her, "He's a fucking monster! He hurt you and then did things to himself and blamed you for them! Falling down the stairs, bruises, holding a knife to his throat! All of that was bullshit and you deserved better! And the baby…?"

"Chika…" she groaned wishing she could help sooth him, but she didn't know how. In his eyes, Hikaru was guilty – or at least guiltier than she could ever be.

Kaoru stood there listening to everything she had to say and Chika's tirade seemed to snap him out of his daze. His legs unable to hold him up, he slid down the door and fell to the ground with his legs sprawled out before him. He had a feeling that his brother held some blame, but what Haruhi had said surpassed anything his imagination could conjure. Was she telling the truth? A baby? He never knew she was ever pregnant. His brother had said nothing. As for everything else…he just wasn't sure. His mind told him not to listen, to disbelieve everything she spouted because she was a lair, she used his brother and threw him away; and yet, in his heart, he believed at least some of her story. It never made sense to him that Haruhi would do a 180, but then again, marriage changes people. But to hear that he had also had a part in coming between the couple, it was a hard pill to swallow. Why had he listened to his brother? Why didn't he try to give them space to work through their problems on their own? He didn't know. Why had he believed everything Hikaru said…or at least tried? Again, he didn't know. Maybe because he was jealous that Hikaru had won the girl? Maybe because he wasn't ready to let go of his brother? He could offer excuse after excuse, but in reality the reason was so much more simplistic than all of that – they had always been together, depended on each other, and were best friends. They were never without each other, and no matter what Hikaru said, no matter what he did, Kaoru had always promised to be there to support him and to have his back. Kaoru had followed his brother blindly, ignoring anything and everything else. It wasn't a good excuse and it wasn't right, but it was the truth.

"We believe your brother is suffering from a guilty conscious. Drinking numbs everything and allows him to escape reality – for lack of a better explanation," Kyoya said, his eyes watching Kaoru closely.

Snickering with disdain, Kaoru's head fell back against the door with a bang and he sneered, "Is that your professional medical opinion, Kyoya?"

"It is," the Shadow King's eyes narrowed behind his glasses, anticipating what would come out of the younger man's mouth next.

The redhead lifted and pushed his head against the door again, looking up at the ceiling, "Maybe." His eyes slowly moved to Haruhi, "So, I'm just supposed to believe anything you say? Why wait until now to tell your side? How do I know you're not lying or hiding something?" He wasn't sure why he said that. Maybe it was a last ditch effort to support his brother, maybe he was scared to change sides. If he did, it would be him against his family, but then again, wasn't that what it was now that he had decided to take his brother's well-being into his own hands?

"You bastard!" Chika had a short fuse and leaped towards Kaoru, Mori catching him in midflight.

Standing in front of his brother, Hunny practically snarled, "If you really think that little of Haru-Chan, why don't we ask Hika-Chan?" His tone full of threat and malice, challenged Kaoru.

A smirk appearing on his face, Kyoya announced, "Yes, I believe we should. Kaoru, it is time to do what you called us for. Hikaru needs to face his demons."

"Kyoya, maybe we should…" Haruhi began.

Kaoru cut her off, "No, let's get this over with." He struggled to his feet and opened the door. A sudden feeling of terror struck him. "Something's wrong with Hikaru!" he gasped and ran towards the bedroom. If the others were following or not, he didn't know, he only knew that he had to get to his brother…NOW!


	20. Confronting the Parents

**A/N: I was going to wait until I made it through all my stories before I updated, but I realized how mean I was to leave you hanging like I did. LOL. Enjoy the new chapter!**

Chapter 20 – Confronting the Parents

Rushing up the stairs, flying down the hall towards the room he needed to get to, Kaoru's lungs burned, his legs felt heavy, but he had to push through. He had to get to his brother. If he didn't… NO! He would not think about that because whatever was wrong with Hikaru, it could not be that serious. He had left him for less than an hour and no one – NO ONE – should have entered the captive's domain.

But as he rounded a reached the landing, hurdling himself off of the last step and turning to get to the bedroom, even Kaoru could see the slight crack from vantage point. Either Hikaru had managed to break the latch and handle to the door, or someone had left the door unlocked allowing his brother to either escape or find something… Before he had locked Hikaru in the room, Kaoru had removed anything and everything he could use to hurt himself and only allowed a plastic spoon in the room with meals. Yes, he was that scared of what his brother was capable of. What had happened?

He burst through the door and found his brother unconscious in the middle of the room, a bottle of some kind of alcohol trickling onto the carpet. Kaoru could tell it wasn't simple tea from the smell. Running up to his brother, he turned Hikaru onto his back. His breathing was shallow and slow. It sounded as if he were struggling and Kaoru did the only thing he knew to do in that moment…he shouted, "Kyoya! Kyoya, you have to help him!" Tears ran down his face and landed on his elder brother, but he didn't wipe them away, he wasn't even aware of them.

Before Kaoru stopped yelling, Kyoya was already kneeling down next to Hikaru so he could examine him and giving his orders, "Mori, call for an ambulance." If he asked anyone else to do it, he wasn't sure what would happen. Tamaki appeared as if he were on the verge of losing it, Hunny was already crying, Kaoru was an emotional mess, and Haruhi…well, he wasn't sure how the younger twin would react if he instructed Haruhi to call for an ambulance. Mori was the best choice.

Hikaru's pulse was high, but not terribly so; however, his breathing was too slow and Kyoya was almost certain that he wasn't getting enough oxygen. His skin felt cold and clammy. . Pulling out a pen light, he shined it into the unconscious man's eyes, at least his pupils were reactive.

"What's wrong with him?" Kaoru sniffled holding onto his brother's arm as if it were a lifeline, as if he could pull Hikaru back from the brink of death.

"If I had to guess, I would say alcohol poisoning," Kyoya stated in a no nonsense tone.

"But he's…he hasn't had any until…"

"It doesn't take much and who knows how long he's had that decanter."

"Kyoya," Haruhi's grumble was low and strained.

Pushing up his glasses, the Shadow King stared directly at Kaoru and stated, "This is in no way your fault. Whose fault it is can be decided later. For now, we need to get him to the hospital in order to treat him properly."

Kaoru couldn't speak, therefore, he nodded instead. His brother didn't look good and he was so afraid he was about to lose his best friend. Words got stuck in his throat practically choking him, coming out as strangled sobs. This was his brother, his best friend, his other half. He couldn't lose him. Not now! Maybe when they were old and grey, but not now. He still needed him – even if he was an ass.

In what seemed like seconds (or was it years), the ambulance had arrived and two men were pushing a gurney through the open bedroom door. The only person that spoke was the Shadow King and after that Hikaru was lifted onto the movable bed and taken down to the ambulance with Kyoya and Kaoru jumping in with him. The others stood there only a moment longer before they started to walk towards their waiting car, the air around them solemn and practically suffocating. One by one, they got into the car, and when only Mori, Haruhi, and Chika were standing outside, someone grabbed the brunette and spun her around, causing a hiss of pain to escape.

"This is all your fault! If it hadn't been for you, our son would still be the person he used to be! You did this!" Yuzuha screamed in the brunette's face, her expression full of hatred and contempt.

Physically and emotionally tired, Haruhi lashed out, "Me? If it is truly all my fault then I apparently held a gun to his head as he drank himself into a stupor! If it was me, then I must have taken the bottle, held him down, and forced him to guzzle as I poured it down his throat! That's bullshit and you know it! I didn't do that to Hikaru, he did it to himself! And if you really want to blame someone, why don't you blame the people that forced us to get married in the first place. Your mother on her deathbed my ass!" Normally she wasn't so crass, but at the moment she didn't care if her filter was non-existent. She was tired of people accusing her when they had no right. She was tired of being beaten down for no reason. And most of all, she was tired of these people thinking she was lower than the dirt beneath their feet. "If you really want to blame someone, look in the mirror. We weren't ready for marriage, and yet, you practically forced us down the aisle. And if you think I'm the only person to blame for the collapse, then you don't know anything. Why don't you ask your oh so precious son how it was he received some of his injuries when I was out of town?" Her head whipped backwards with the force of the slap Yuzuha gave her.

"Don't you ever…"

A line formed between Haruhi and the twin's parents with Chika in the center. Narrowing his eyes, the younger man growled, "NO! Don't you ever touch her again because if you do, you will have to deal with the Morinozuka and the Haninozuka families. Haruhi is under our protection."

"So she spun her wiles on you as well," the Hitachiin patriarch spat.

Chika took on step forward along with his brother, but it was Hunny that spoke, "Be careful. She didn't do anything except earn our respect. What she said was true. Hika-Chan lied in order to make himself look good, and if you say he would never do that, you don't know either of your sons very well. It's his fault she lost the baby and it's your own fault for believing his lies. If you don't want to make an enemy of our families, you will leave her alone."

"The Suoh family stands with Haruhi as well," Tamaki declared. A small smile appeared on his lips and he said, "I'm sure knowing what we know and how you treated Haruhi just now, the same would be said for the Ootori family. Granted Kyoya isn't here, but once I tell him what happened after he left to take care of your eldest son…" He allowed his words to taper off letting the unspoken settle in.

"You have no right! She is nothing more than a commoner!" Yuzuha exclaimed.

"You have no right to tell us what to believe or not to believe. You have no right to tell us how to act or not act. You have no right to tell us how to run our businesses or our family. I'm sure our parents will side with us once we tell them the whole story…the whole truth."

Typically, the blond former president would get on Chika's last nerve – especially with his daddy act – but today, right now, even he had to admit that he was impressed with Tamaki's defense of Haruhi. Maybe, just maybe he could be persuaded to like him a little, but then again, why press his luck.

With a snort, Mr. Hitachiin asked, "You means the lies this trollop has told you?"

"Be careful what you say. The woman you are insulting happens to be my future bride," Chika snarled.

"No!" Yuzuha gasped disbelievingly. "Your family would never approve."

"Not that I care what you say or anything, but my family does indeed approve."

Haruhi blushed. They had discussed the future and she had seen the ring, but they weren't engaged yet, and if Chika wasn't careful, he would make an enemy of the Hitachiin family. Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth to speak and was cut off before she could.

"The Haninozuka are welcoming Haru-Chan into our family with open arms," Hunny proclaimed with a glare.

"You believe her lies?" the patriarch scoffed.

Shaking his head, the former loli shota host answered, "No, we believe the truth. Haru-Chan told us everything – including her part in everything. Maybe you need to listen to the whole story instead of believing everything out of Hika-Chan's mouth. She's right, he got some of his injuries when she wasn't even at home. He was jealous because she was working to become a lawyer and he wasn't getting as much attention as he thought he should have! Haru-Chan never hurt him unless she had no other option."

He couldn't say what it was, but there was something there that had Tamaki tilting his head and saying, "But you already knew all of that. We know you knew about the baby, and you probably knew what happened the night she lost it, but you knew about everything else too. Kaoru didn't, but he believed his brother….you though…you're different. Are you more worried about your reputation that you are willing to destroy another person? Haruhi is more than a commoner and if you go after her, you will be destroyed. Is that what you want? To end up in the middle of the scandal you are trying so hard to avoid? She kept quiet before and now that she is finally speaking out, you're worried."

"We don't know what you're talking about," Yuzuha snapped pressing her hand against her chest.

"You let him hurt her. You let him do those things to her," Chika took another threatening step forward.

"Yasuchika," Tamaki's sad tone addressed the younger man, "I don't think they know everything, but they do know more than what they claim." Shaking his head, he said, "We need to get to the hospital."

Piling into the car, the former Host Club left the Hitachiin parents standing there in the dust as they drove off. Based on what Haruhi had told them earlier, they all knew Yuzuha and her husband knew something about what when on in the marriage, but how much? How much did they really know? Everything? They were protecting their son, worried more about their reputation than what they were doing to another human being. It wasn't right. For now though, it didn't matter. They needed to get to the hospital, and later they could deal with the Hitachiin family…and that included Hikaru.

 **A/N2: I promise Hikaru's intervention by Sunday. I'm already working on it and don't want to leave you hanging.**


	21. Tied Up

**A/N: I am breaking the whole intervention into multiple parts because I don't want to rush it, so I hope you don't mind too much that I keep ending on cliff hangers. This one will be no different, however, we will at least start on Hikaru. Enjoy!**

 **HAPPY EASTER!**

Chapter 21 – Tied Up

Hikaru could hear voices and sounds surrounding him, piercing through the fog that engulfed him. Had he finally done it? Had he finally killed himself the way Kaoru feared he would? He had just wanted a drink and when his parents had unlocked the room to give him his freedom, he had found the closest bottle of amber liquid and dashed back into his room in order to give himself a little privacy as he guzzled it. He only wanted to numb the pain, to shut up the thoughts and accusatory voices in his head. Once they had been sufficiently snuffed out, he had planned to find another room to hide from his brother…or was he going to leave the house? Or was it that he was going to face his jailer? He couldn't remember and as the fog started to clear, as the voices grew more pronounced, he realized so did everything else. He was awash in guilt.

No wonder Haruhi left him and filed for divorce. If he had to live with himself, he would have done the same thing. He was an ass of the first order, and even he had to admit there were moments he couldn't remember. Alcohol had been his go to for longer than his brother or parents realized.

His parents. Why had they unlocked the door and set him free? Surely they had to have known he would seek out his liquid refuge the moment he had obtained his release. Did that mean they didn't care what he did to himself? Then again, if he didn't care, why should they?

And then there was Kaoru. How bad had he gotten that his younger twin had to lock him up and take everything away. For some reason Hikaru wanted to hate Kaoru for what he did, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Kaoru was his brother, his best friend, and the only person who stood by his side when his marriage started to fall apart.

No longer in an alcohol haze, Hikaru could no longer pretend that the collapse of the marriage fell on Haruhi. They both had their faults, however, he had done so much…so much to her…even going as far as to break almost every promise he made in his vows. Kami! Why did everything hurt? Why did he feel so much guilt? Why? He knew the answer of course, there was no way in damn way this was heaven. With his sins, he must have landed a one way ticket to hell.

Sucking in his breath, his eyes popped open and he found himself surrounded by light and people. Angels? Maybe he really did make it to heaven? But then one of the angels shifted and Hikaru could see his face. No, he was definitely in hell, otherwise, why would Kyoya be hovering over him with a smirk on his face.

"Good to see you have finally rejoined the land of the living. Did you really believe I would allow you to pass through to the other side without collecting what's due?" Kyoya quipped.

With a groan on his lips, Hikaru slid his eyes shut and prayed the nightmare would end quickly. His stomach felt like he had thrown up a week's worth of…well nothing since he hadn't eaten much, his head felt like a sledgehammer had had some fun, his throat felt like it was on fire, and his body felt like it was full of lead. Between that and Kyoya, Death would have been a welcomed friend.

Several hours later, Hikaru awoke again. This time the lights weren't blinding and people weren't standing over him, but he could still hear voices. One of them sounded like Haruhi's, which couldn't possibly be right. His inner demons had decided to torture him anew. He wanted a drink. No, that wasn't correct. He desperately needed a drink to deaden everything inside him.

Lifting his hand in order to rub his face, he couldn't. He tried the other one and couldn't. What the hell? Someone had strapped him to his bed. His eyes scanned the room. This wasn't his bedroom and this was not his bed. Where the fuck was he?

He struggled to break free, but nothing worked and found his legs were tied down as well. Who had bound him? Why? Was this some kind of realistic nightmare? What was happening to him?

"Untie him!" A voice demanded. His father. And this his mother added, "Hasn't he been through enough. It's bad enough that he's here, did you really have to tie him up like a mental patient?"

"The doctors have determined that he is a risk to himself and the people around him," Kyoya stated.

"You are doing this to him on purpose because of her! She has all of you wrapped around her little finger, but just wait. She'll turn on you too, and then all of you will come crawling to us whining about how she did you and your family an injustice," Yuzuha sneered.

"I believe the only injustice done has been in how your family treated Haruhi and in how you have treated your own son. In addition, Ootori do not crawl and we do not admit defeat," Kyoya retorted, his holier than thou attitude firmly in place based on his tone of voice.

Mr. Hitachiin snapped, "How dare you!"

"I dare because it is a well-documented fact."

Hikaru heard a small scuffle and then his mother demanded, "Release me!"

"Kyoya-sama?" Tachibana asked. As soon as he noticed the small flex of Yuzuha's arm, he knew he needed to be prepared, and he had been right. The matriarch of the Hitachiin family had tried to slap his young master, and he would not allow that.

"You may release her, Tachibana." To Hikaru's mother, he said, "Be careful, or I can make sure you suffer worse than your son currently does. He brought this upon himself and he will suffer the consequences. It is time to face his demons or he will never get better. You enabled him when you chose his side and did nothing to stop him, and then again today." A gasp from behind the parents had Kyoya's smirk growing, "Yes, Kaoru. It was your parents that released Hikaru today. They believed you were being unreasonably vindictive and mean, but in actuality, you were attempting to save his life." He asked the parents, "Do you really want to watch your son die a slow painful death? That's what will happen with his current addiction…or shall we call it an illness? So worried about a scandal, but what about the scandal this would unleash?"

Pointing here finger towards Haruhi, Yuzuha screeched, "She's the one that did this to him!"

"NO!" Kaoru yelled. In a softer voice, he said, "No, he did this to himself. She didn't force him to drink. He picked it up himself. "

Mr. Hitachiin narrowed his eyes and asked, "Are you taking her side now? After everything she has done to this family? To your brother?"

Confusion evident on his face, Kaoru demanded, "What exactly has she done to this family? Hikaru…okay, she probably isn't innocent, but what has she done to this family exactly?"

"She…"

The younger twin spoke over his father, "She never took the money you tried to give her. She never spoke out against us or Hikaru, instead accepting anything and everything we threw at her. Haruhi has always been supportive and a true friend…until the marriage. Is Hikaru really without guilt in everything?" He had been thinking long and hard about what Haruhi had said, trying to recall everything that he had witnessed himself during their brief marriage, and the only thing he could come up with, most of what Hikaru said or claimed didn't make any sense. Haruhi's version seemed more believable. "Was there really a baby? Did you really lie and tell everyone it was the flu?" What he saw in his parents' eyes confirmed the truth and he demanded, "What else are you hiding? Were you really the ones that unlocked Hikaru's door today?"

"He's your brother, not a prisoner," Yuzuha argued.

"He's trying to drink himself to death!" Kaoru snapped. Taking a step back when his mother tried to reach for him, he shook his head, "Haruhi wasn't the one that did this to him…not today. You are. You're the reason he's lying in that hospital bed, the reason he had to have his stomach pumped, and the reason he's tied up right now!"

"Kaoru!" his father yelled and slapped his son.

Lifting his hand to his stinging cheek, Kaoru stood there shocked. The whole room had gone silent. His father had never hit him before, and out of both of his parents, his father was probably the more easy going of the two of them, but standing before him now, he didn't see his parents. He saw two people that were practically strangers. "No." He took a step backwards again. "No."

Mori inserted himself between the parents and their son, "We all need to calm down."

"Takashi is right," Hunny spoke softly. He had seen Kyoya's father slap him, but Mr. Hitachiin had always had a smile on his face. He was the last person Hunny would have ever thought would have hit one of his sons. It was more than apparent everyone was getting worked up, and everyone needed to calm down before something else happened.

Hearing everything happen and not able to see anything had Hikaru on edge and panicking. His heart monitor started to increase in tempo and he struggled against his bindings once again. Unable to break free, he growled in frustration. And this time, his parents appeared at his bedside along with his friends and one face he never thought he would see while he was sober…Haruhi. Had she come to torture him too? "What the fuck do you want?" His glare settled on Haruhi. Maybe it was time to admit his wrongdoings, but maybe not. Yes, his guilt ate away at him, and yet, admitting what he had done was harder than lashing out at her in his pain.

"She is here because for whatever reason, she still cares about your worthless ass," Chika snarled.

"Chika," Haruhi mumbled and rolled her eyes, "You're not helping."

"What? It's the truth!"

Clearing his throat and pushing up his glasses, Kyoya stated, "She is here to check on you and to finally break her silence about what really happened during your marriage."

Everyone watched as Hikaru's face paled and a sweat broke out on his brow. His heartrate increased even more and his breathing started to come fast and shallow. He couldn't breathe and he felt hot and dizzy. Panic rose up and pushed him over the edge into utter blackness.


	22. Like the Phoenix

**A/N: Poor Hikaru is about to face his demons and strapped to the bed, he has no escape. Enjoy the new chapter!**

Chapter 22 – Like the Phoenix

There was a time in his life when Hikaru could remember being carefree. How long ago had it been? When he was a child, he and his brother shut out the world so that they wouldn't have to feel the sting of disappointment when people stabbed them in the back. They were individuals that wanted to be recognized as such, and yet, when it came down to it, they didn't know how to be…until something changed. Tamaki had chiseled a hole into their wall and had allowed the outside to trickle in ever so slightly. The more time they were around the other hosts, the more the hole grew. And then when Haruhi came along and could see the differences between the mirror images with just a glance, the door had been ripped off its hinges.

Haruhi was a breath of fresh air and everyone wanted her for themselves in some way, shape, or form. A simple commoner with no sense of self, who didn't care what she wore or who her friends were – and couldn't care less about their bank accounts – she had been what he and Kaoru had been searching their whole lives for…and then he ruined it. He sullied her until the point she got fed up and walked away, but he wasn't done dirtying her.

In his guilt, from the moment he started to tarnish the beautiful woman he had supposedly loved, he turned to a new friend, one that would help him to cope and continued to show him a new truth. Alcohol never judged him, never left him. Alcohol was his friend, but it really wasn't. Alcohol had promised him so much, helped to deaden the pain, but in the end, it tried to hurt everything and everyone around him. Including him.

Opening his eyes would mean that he would have to face his demons – something he honestly didn't want to do. Couldn't they just move on from here? Start over and pretend the past never happened? Who was he kidding? Of course they couldn't!

He could still remember the first time he noticed Haruhi…well, first time he was forced to notice her. Although vague at the time, he could recall something about the new scholarship student being in his class, but really the way Haruhi dressed that day, Hikaru didn't want to have anything to do with her at the time. And then when she had the audacity to walk into the abandoned music room the hosts had claimed for themselves, he saw an opportunity to have some fun – maybe harmless, but maybe not. That's all she was supposed to be – a new plaything for him and Kaoru. Things changed after he realized she was a girl and not an oddball boy. And the day he and his brother decided to pretend to fight each other, when he realized Haruhi could tell them apart with a mere glance, his heart embraced her and he wanted her for himself. He no longer cared who was in line to try to win her over, Hikaru had to have her. It became an almost obsession, and when he thought anyone else was close to winning her heart, he would explode with jealousy. She never quite understood why he would act the way he did, but then again, she didn't know what was in his heart.

And then one day he took a chance and they were together.

Why had he done what he did? Hikaru could recall having a conversation with his mother and grandmother about a month after he started dating Haruhi. Looking back now, he should have known everything was doomed from the beginning.

 ** _Flashback…_**

 _It had only been a month and Hikaru felt like he was on top of the world. He had good friends, the girl of his dreams, and everything in his life seemed perfect. Arriving home from a date with Haruhi, his mother called him into her office, and he went without argument, only a little surprised to see his grandmother there as well. "What's going on?" he asked. Had he done something he wasn't supposed to?_

 _"_ _Hikaru!" Kazuha gushed and pulled her eldest grandson in for a fierce hug._

 _"_ _Hi grandmother," he said hesitantly returning her embrace. Pulling back, he asked again, "Does someone want to tell me what's going on?" He didn't miss the sly look his mother and grandmother exchanged. What the hell was going on?_

 _"_ _So how are things with your little girlfriend?"_

 _He felt like he should be keeping his cards close to his chest and he didn't know why, "Well."_

 _"_ _Good!" Kazuha exclaimed._

 _"_ _Excellent," Yuzuha clapped._

 _Was he missing something? "Yeah. Well if that's all, then I'm going up to my room."_

 _"_ _Wait! We haven't talked yet," his mother stopped him._

 _"_ _What do we need to talk about?"_

 _"_ _Your wedding."_

 _"_ _My what?"_

 ** _End flashback…_**

If only he had known then what he knew now, from the beginning, his parents and grandmother were forcing their way in and taking control over his own relationship…and he had done nothing to stop it. He tried to argue, but he never really stuck up for Haruhi and himself. It was the beginning of the end.

Before he and Haruhi even got married, he had used alcohol to help him through a time or two or ten and after the wedding, it became a crutch until it came to the point he almost always had the potent liquid running through his veins. It dulled the ache and pain and helped him to deal with his fucked up life.

With his eyes closed, he could pretend a little longer. With his eyes closed, he didn't have to face the world. With his eyes closed, he didn't have to face reality…at least for a little longer. How had everything become so twisted?

He could still hear the hushed voices of people in the room. Some tongues carried pure acid and hate, and others sounded soothing, but there was another that stood out. His brother. It was probably his face, his disappointment, that Hikaru feared the most because Kaoru had unknowingly been dragged into the whole mess as an accomplice. Kaoru had always been his partner in crime and the person that stood beside him through thick and thin…when his twin learned the truth, would he turn from him or forgive him?

Why couldn't Kyoya have just killed him and buried his body where no one would ever find it? He had the capability, Hikaru was 99.9% sure of that.

Kaoru sat in the room and listened to the whispered bickering. His parents wanted Haruhi to leave and the hosts were sticking up for her and insisting she stay. He honestly didn't care one way or another right now, he just wanted his brother to wake up and get well. If facing Haruhi would help, let her stay; however, if it hindered his recovery, she needed to leave. It was simple.

Simple… Who was he kidding? Since he and his brother had been children, nothing was ever simple. His mother dressed them in wigs and dresses to model her knew children's line. On top of that, the twins didn't trust anyone and pushed almost everyone away, shoring up their defenses and not allowing anyone to breech their walls. Simple didn't belong in his vocabulary.

His parents had lied. Kaoru saw the truth of it in their eyes when he asked about the baby. What else had they lied about? What else had they done?

And the squabbling continued until he couldn't take it any longer. He was the only one by his brother's bed and their quiet voices were grating on his nerves. Standing up, he spun around and barked, "Shut the fuck up! If you want to argue, do it elsewhere!"

Hikaru's ears could hear the stress and underlying emotion his brother was trying to hide, and his heart broke. He had done this. Slowly opening his eyes, he knew he could no longer hide. "Kaoru?" his voice was scratching and raw, and he needed water, but it worked.

Whipping around to his brother, Kaoru immediately knew what his twin needed without him having to ask. Raising the head of the bed, he lifted a cup of water with a straw up to his brother's lips and allowed him to drink. And when Hikaru had his fill, he set the empty cup back on the bedside table. "How are you feeling?"

"Not great," he answered truthfully.

"See! This is all her fault!" Yuzuha accused Haruhi.

Hikaru shook his head, "No, it isn't. This is my fault."

"Of course it isn't," his father tried to correct him.

His head shook back and forth, and then Hikaru's eyes fell onto Haruhi, "I'm sorry for everything."

A tear fell down her cheek and Haruhi nodded, "Me too."

Clearing his throat, it was time he set the record straight, "This isn't Haruhi's fault. Some…I just…" He stopped and tried again, "I painted her into a corner that she couldn't get out of. We weren't ready for any of it."

"What are you saying? Of course you were. It was her that took advantage…" his mother tried to argue.

"Stop!" Hikaru yelled. A deep breath and he spoke in a softer tone of voice, "Stop. Just stop." Tears started to pour out of his eyes, but no one wiped them away for him. "I hurt her and made her suffer more than anyone should in their lifetime. I did that…I did that to her. And I never stopped you when you attacked her either."

"She drove you to drink. It wasn't your fault. Nothing was your…"

Interrupting his father, Hikaru said, "It was my fault. I could blame you, but I won't. Almost everything between us was forced. I started drinking before we were even engaged. Did you know that?" A bubbling maniacal laughter bubbled up deep within him and he left it out making himself sound almost deranged. "Before…before…" his voice tapered off and his tears continued to flow.

One by one, Hikaru looked into the eyes of the people surrounding him and then they settled on Haruhi again, "I didn't mean to hurt you like I did. I was jealous and out of control. I didn't know what to do or… I don't know. Nothing I say sounds good enough. And the worst thing is, I can't tell you why. I can't. Stupid, isn't it?" He felt like he was losing his tenuous grip on sanity. Had he finally lost his mind? Possibly, but maybe he had lost it long ago.

"Hikaru!" His parents called out his name in an attempt to stop him from heading down the rabbit hole.

His eyes flashed to them, "What? It's true." He took a deep breath and leaned back, allowing his gaze to float upwards to the ceiling, "I hurt her, tried to destroy her, and ruined a good friendship, but she still rose again…just like a phoenix. I put her through hell. You put her through hell. And she still came out on the other side. How fucked up is that? I'm strapped to a hospital bed and she came out smelling like roses. Ha! Roses…roses…"

"Kyoya? What's wrong with him?" Kaoru demanded.

"NOTHING! Nothing is wrong with me! I just…I just…" He began to whimper and the tears that had started to dry up were flowing once again.

Kyoya felt Hikaru's pulse and typed a message into his phone before he answered, "He needs rest…and help. He'll get that here." His sharp gaze fell onto his friend's parents, his lenses catching the glare of the light, "If you attempt to remove him from this facility, I will see to it that all of your family secrets are revealed. In addition, I will get a court order proclaiming you to be a detriment to his health, barring you from this hospital and you will not be allowed to see your son while he is under the care of this hospital or any other he may go to. Think of the scandal that would make. In addition, I can arrange for Kaoru to be appointed his guardian as well as do the same for your daughter. It is up to you."

"You…You can't!" Yuzuha gasped.

"I can and I will. Haruhi?"

"According to the law, if proof can be found that you are a harm to his well-being, then it would be possible to get an injunction," she answered. She didn't like doing this, but at the same time, she had to think about what was best for Hikaru and not what his parents thought.

"You have no right!"

"I'll help them file the necessary paperwork," Kaoru declared.

"Kaoru!" Mr. Hitachiin snapped.

"I think it's time for you to leave. If you are more worried about the scandal than your own son, then leave. You essentially put the bottle in his hand earlier. You either don't think there is a problem, in which case you are blind, or you want him to die. Which is it?"

His mother shook her head, her own tears pooling in her eyes, "Neither! We just want what's best for you both!"

"He needs help! Look at him!"

She bowed her head and nodded, "Just help him get better." Her voice was quiet and after she spoke, she took her husband's hand and they both walked out of the room.

Turning back to his brother, Kaoru sniffled, "We'll get you better and then you can be like a phoenix too." He just needed his brother back. Not the shell of the man he had become - his true brother.


	23. All Roads Lead Back Home

**A/N: Hikaru has begun to face his demons and his parents have been put in their place. I have to say, writing Hikaru, and even Kaoru, the way I did in this story, has been very difficult for me because that isn't typical Hikaru. While he may pull pranks and act like a brat, he isn't a bad guy; however, you know me and I like to throw real life into my stories. No one knows who will succumb to alcoholism or addiction, and you never know what will trigger it. If you or someone you know has an addiction, try to get help. Enjoy the new chapter.**

Chapter 23 – All Roads Lead Back Home

One of the hardest things Haruhi ever had to do was file for divorce. It even surpassed overcoming her fear and moving on from everything, from her life. But listening to Hikaru admit his faults and watching him breakdown the way he did, ranked right up there with walking away from her marriage. It wasn't that she wanted to go back and reclaim what they once had – that ship had sailed long ago – but it pained her to see someone she cared about and loved hurting the way he was. Regardless of what had happened between them, they were once friends and he once held her heart in the palm of his hands.

Maybe if she had tried to get him help while they were still married. Maybe if she had reached out to him more. Maybe if… Maybe if… So many maybes and they mattered not because that was the past and today was a new day. Hopefully this new day would become a new start for Hikaru; after all, they said that the first step to overcoming addiction was admitting you had a problem is that you have a problem. And he had done that plus more.

Standing beside his bed as he cried and spilled his guts, she wanted nothing more than to soothe his pain. This went beyond what happened between them and their marriage. She knew it went a lot deeper, and she didn't know how to help him. Did she want him back? No. That part of her life ended and the door had been sealed shut. She had a new life and a new future with Chika beside her, but that did not mean she didn't want to be there for Hikaru, someone who at one point had been one of her best friends.

After Hikaru and Kaoru's parents had left, Hikaru's tears seemed to slow and it felt as if a weight had been lifted off of his chest. His hands still itched to grab a bottle and his throat burned with the need to drink, and yet, it had been a long time since he had felt this clear headed. His mind was still slow, his body felt like shit, and his mouth tasted and felt like he tried to eat paste, but nothing was dulled. That should have been a bad thing. It had been exactly what he was running away from, however, after confessing, part of him felt renewed. His guilt and fears and everything else were there, but they weren't drowning him.

Did he want a drink? Fuck yes, he did. Did he need it? His mind and inner demons tried to tell him he did, but his heart knew better. That being said, if he was offered even a drop of alcohol right now, he would jump at the chance to feel the burn as it slid down his throat, to allow it to deaden anything and everything. He would caress and embrace it as he once had. The taste wasn't the greatest, the after effects sucked, but while he was under the power of the spirit, nothing hurt. He felt truly free. Yes, it was all a lie. He knew that, but the lie was seductive, even if alcohol was a fickle mistress.

He knew the others thought he was in the process of losing his mind. Maybe he was. His mind felt clearer than it had in a while, however, it still was having a hard time focusing at the same time. The whispered words around him, he heard them all. Detox got thrown around more than once. Detox? If this was detox, then it sucked.

And then he felt a hand, smaller than his, give his a squeeze and his eyes focused to the right of him. Haruhi. He had tried to tear her down, and she came back stronger than ever. He should have known better. Even in high school, she always seemed to face everything head on and find the best solution to the problem…and that included life. Her mother passed away, she picked up the pieces and learned how to cook and clean for her father. She wanted to become a lawyer, she worked her ass off and got into Ouran. Forced to join the Host Club…she met the challenge with class and tenacity, and in the end, didn't want to leave. Haruhi was a fighter.

What did that make him? A runner? A fuck up?

"Hey," she spoke softly beside him.

"Hey." He didn't turn his head or move his eyes.

"Are you calmed down now?"

"Yeah. Thanks." Why exactly was she still there? Couldn't she leave now that he cried and spilled his guts in front of her and her new man?

"Hikaru?"

"What?"

"I'm sorry too. I know this isn't going to be easy, but we are all here to support you."

"Great." He didn't mean to be sarcastic because he knew if he had any chance at successfully kicking his habit, he would need his friends; however, right now he was still raw.

With one last squeeze, she said, "We'll leave you alone with Kaoru and Kyoya." Turning to the others, she ordered, "Out! Hikaru needs his rest."

"But…" Tamaki began, snapping his mouth shut when she lifted her brow and glared at him, daring him to say something. With Chika on one side of her, Hunny on the other, and Mori and Satoshi standing behind her…he wasn't going to take the chance. To do so would be equivalent to committing suicide. "You're right. Mommy, please watch out for our sons."

Pushing his glasses up, Kyoya shook his head and responded, "Of courses, Daddy." Under his breath, he muttered, "We're going to be grandfathers and he will still be calling me mommy."

The only people to hear him were the twins, and it caused both Hikaru and Kaoru to start laughing. If nothing else, it helped to break the tension. Tamaki strikes again – in a good way.

Walking out of the room, Haruhi knew Hikaru was being left in the best hands imaginable, but she still worried. The relationship between her and her ex-husband would not be mended so easily and they still had a ways to go, if he wanted a relationship with her, but that did not mean she wished anything he was going through or about to go through on anyone. She could only hope and pray, he would be all right.

"He's strong, Haru-Chan! Kyo-Chan will make sure Hika-Chan gets sober," Hunny declared.

Tamaki and Haruhi sweat dropped. While they were sure that was true enough, how exactly would someone nicknamed the Shadow King accomplish such as task. Shaking it off, they decided that were better off not knowing. Kyoya could be…sadistic when he needed to be.

"I know," she responded instead, her voice slightly breathless.

"You okay?" Chika whispered dropping the hand he had been holding and wrapping it around her waist.

She plastered on a small smile and nodded, "I am. Just worried about him."

Did she regret being with him? Did she want Hikaru back? Those thoughts flittered through his head for a mere second before his quashed them. She was his now and they belonged together. He was secure in their relationship. If true though, why did he blurt out words he would have rather swallowed, "Do you want him back?"

Stopping short, her eyes darted to his and she spoke quickly, "What? No! I'm worried about him as a friend. We have history and as much as I don't want to be with him, as much as I don't love him like that any longer, I still care about him and want him to get better. That's all there is to it."

"I know. I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that," he ran his hand through his hair and sighed loudly.

"It is a stressful situation and everyone is facing demons from the past. It is understandable," Mori stated placing his hand on his cousin's shoulder.

Chika's head bobbed up and down a couple of times in acceptance of his cousin's words, but to Haruhi, he said, "I'm sorry. I'm just…"

She placed her hand over his mouth to quiet him and her lips turned upwards in a small smile, "I know, but you're stuck with me because I love you. I want forever with you. I may have been in love with him once, or at least thought I was, but no more. Now it's only you."

He felt like a heel for needing her to placate him, but damn it felt good to hear her say that, "I love you too. I'm not normally so…"

"Insecure?" His older brother supplied.

Sending Hunny a glare, Chika answered, "Out of sorts." His brother giggled quietly at his choice of words, which earned him another glare and in that moment he decided it was probably best to ignore his older sibling, "I just…a lot is going on and I know emotions are running high."

"And none of that matters. Even if by some chance he did ask me back, I couldn't leave you." She stepped into his arms and held him tight when she whispered, "This is home. Right here."

His lips brushed the top of her head and he said, "For me too."

"So, are we all going to be okay?"

It was Tamaki's question that rang out between them. Pulling back from her lover, Haruhi offered him a smile and nodded, "Yeah. It'll take time, but I think eventually your family will be back together." And she really believed that because no matter the black eyes and bruises to their egos they may suffer, no matter the journey they went on or the different paths taken, they were all connected to each other.


	24. Withdrawal

**A/N: The last two years have been a real struggle for me with my health and a few other things which has made updating regularly difficult. This year more than last. On top of that, my current novel has taken over my brain. LOL. I apologize and am trying to get back on track, but it hasn't worked. Bear with me. I am working on my FF and updating as I can. I'm also going to not load my plate so full with as many open stories. That will help insure I update more regularly. I hate keeping everyone hanging and I don't want the story to suffer either. I'm getting there and all of you keep me in check and make me want to write for you. Thank you for all of your support. Enjoy the new chapter!**

Chapter 24 – Withdrawal

The world continued to spin, time continued to move forward, and Hikaru struggled every day. He knew his addiction would not be easy to overcome. It held him prisoner, tightly bound in thick heavy chains, throwing him into complete and utter darkness. He would struggle, clawing his way towards the light, only to have his bindings yanked and he fell into the deep black hole once again.

How the hell did people do this? How did people overcome their addictions? That's what he wanted to know, how exactly was he supposed to move forward when every other damn thought that consumed him centered on alcohol?

He wanted it…even just a tiny miniscule drop. He needed it as much as he needed to breathe. It made the hurt, the thoughts, the memories…everything, go away.

Oh Kami! Everything hurt and he felt so sick, but he had thrown up so much that all he could manage now was dry heaving which left his skin pale, clammy, and pouring sweat.

What the hell was wrong with him? He only had alcohol in his system. His abominable brother had taken his pain pills away within hours of getting them. Was detox supposed to be this bad? He had slept through the worst of it…hadn't he? If that was the case, then what the fuck was wrong with him? His body felt out of control. When he wasn't trying to throw up, it shook and he always felt cold.

It had been three days since he had woken up and he still felt like shit. Why? Why did he feel like this?

Jerking his head to the left when he heard a beep, he noticed his supposed friend – on the verge of being considered an ex friend – practically bouncing in. Fucking jovial Shadow King. The hell? Jovial and Shadow King didn't belong in the same thought or sentence. That alone convinced Hikaru he was on the verge of losing it…if he hadn't already jumped off the edge of a cliff. Maybe he had and didn't realize it. Maybe everything sucked so badly because he was in the middle of a nightmare. That would explain everything!

Kami he needed a drink!

"And how is the patient today?" Kyoya asked as he clicked his pen and held it poised to take notes.

"Don't patronize me and go to hell!" Hikaru snapped. His irritation and angst multiplied each minute that ticked by.

Adjusting his glasses, Kyoya smirked, "I see." His pen started to move across the paper in his black notebook. "Anything else?"

The auburn haired patient winced and he tried to temper his next words, "I'm sorry. I just…Kyoya, just give me a drink. I can't do this anymore. Just something to take the edge off and then we'll go right back to it."

Without lifting his gaze from what he was writing, the bespectacled man answered, "No. What you are going through is alcohol withdrawal. Typically there are meds that can be administered which will help you cope with the withdrawal symptoms, however, some of them can be addictive and since you are being weaned off the alcohol, I am recommending you remain free of anything unless your symptoms gets worse."

"Kyoya!"

Kyoya looked up and smirked again, "Yes?" He stepped closer and whispered, "Think of this and remember it well the next time you want a drink, or the next time you decide to lie to your friends and blame an innocent person. Remember it the next time you want to hold a knife to your own throat, or when you want to throw yourself down the stairs instead of taking responsibility. Remember today, this moment, and these feelings. Remember the pain and agony, and remember it well Hikaru, because there may not be a next time. And if I ever hear of you attacking a pregnant woman, your body will never be found." Spinning on his heel, he started to walk away.

"Kyoya!" Hikaru yelled. "Kyoya! You can't do this! I'll sue!"

"No, you won't. You are currently under the care of this hospital as a mental patient going through a detox program. No one will believe you."

"Kaoru will! He'll get me out of here."

The Shadow King spun around with a malicious smile firmly in place, "You think so? I will remind you that you hurt him just as much as you did everyone else. He knows of your lies. And one of the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal is hallucinations. You have some of the other symptoms, so it isn't a stretch to believe that you would start hallucinating things now."

His mouth opened and closed without saying anything else. His anxiety and aggravation grew as he sat there silently fuming.

"Nothing else to add? Excellent. Who knows? By the time you get out of here, you might be a worthy friend to have once again, and you might even be invited to my wedding. As it stands, I wouldn't use you as a door mat to wipe my feet."

Flinching, Hikaru finally managed to find his words, "You think you are Mr. High and Mighty, but you are no one. Just like me."

"That is where you are wrong. I don't think I am superior to you, I know I am. I have friends, my career, and a worthy future bride. You on the other hand lost not only a woman who is a true treasure, you are on the verge of losing your friends as well. Your parents make excuses and cover for you because they don't want to see the truth. Kaoru was very much the same way until he started to open his eyes to what was happening around him, started connecting the dots for himself, and Haruhi's version of events only finished his ascension into the light of the truth. You want to say I'm nothing. Look around you Hikaru, and you will see who in this room is at the bottom and who is at the top."

"NO!"

"Yes," Kyoya calmly stated knowing full well Hikaru's irritation was partially fueled by his withdrawal. As it stood, he had said enough.

"N-N-NO!"

"Eventually, you will have to deal with why you want to drink and what started it, but first you need to get through your detox."

"H-How long?"

"It can last up to weeks." Unfortunately, withdrawal varied from person to person and not even the Shadow King with all his knowledge could give Hikaru an exact answer.

Defeated, Hikaru sagged against his bed, his irritation still simmering below the surface, but he no longer had the strength. "Can I see my brother?"

"He'll be here within the hour. He had some errands to run and you were sleeping earlier when he came by."

Kyoya did not fail to notice that since his parents left that day, they had not returned and Hikaru had not asked for them to visit. The only people ever requested were Kaoru – which was understandable – and Tamaki. Maybe Hikaru thought the blond could help plan a jail break. Honestly, Kyoya wouldn't have put it past his friends to do something like that, and Tamaki would have come up a title like, "Let's break Hikaru out of the hospital and have a party plan." His titles always did leave something to be desired, but again, that was just Tamaki. Just like pranks, laughs, and hijinks always fell to the twins. Things hadn't been the same for a while now, but maybe they would start to get back to normal one day…this was the beginning of a new start for Hikaru. The first day of the rest of his life, and Kyoya hoped they never found themselves back here again.

As soon as he stepped through the door, leaving his friend behind, Kyoya felt exhausted and bone weary. His body felt heavy and he allowed it to sag against the wall. Seeing his friend like that, knowing the only person who could really help Hikaru was himself, drained him as nothing ever had before.

"Are you all right?" A female voice asked hesitantly.

His eyes drifted upwards from the floor and much to his surprise, his fiancée stood before him. Last he had seen Amaterasu Kobayashi, the fire in her eyes, the set of her shoulders, and her overall body language told him she hated him even as she smiled sweetly. Today, as she stood there, she appeared almost worried about him. Immediately he straightened his posture and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Kobayashi-san, how nice of you to visit the hospital. Did you need something?"

"I…I…um…I was looking for you and was told you would be here today," her words were forced and rushed, but she had something she wanted to say.

"Indeed I am."

"Indeed. May we speak privately?"

"Follow me. I am expecting a guest, but we can use the family room down the hall." He guided her towards the door and closed the door behind them, shutting them in and the world out, "Would you care for coffee or tea?"

"No, thank you," she politely responded and took a seat in one of the chairs. Taking a deep breath, her words toppled out before she could stop them, "While I thank you for allowing me to start studying medicine, I want to know why. What benefit do you get from marrying me? I am not a simple girl and will probably not be the wife that you want. I won't be obedient. I like to think for myself and I have an opinion. I'm not just someone who will stand on your arm and look pretty while you talk business and I…"

Holding up his hand, he stopped her, "I don't believe I've ever said I wanted anything of the sort. I've looked up your school records, and I agree, you are smart. You have a good head on your shoulders and you excel in math and science. You have an interesting theory on the psychology of people and how chronic illnesses will affect them, and I would like to see you do more research on, and being married to me will allow you to do that. My family has the ability to give you your dream. In return, I need more than a doormat for a wife. My father is pressuring me to marry and that is where you come in. We will both benefit from this arrangement. If you still want to practice medicine, I suggest you take my offer."

"Why?" She narrowed her eyes, studying him, trying to understand what made him tick. Why did he step in to be the sacrificial lamb?

"Pardon?"

"Why marry me? I could have married Yasuchika Haninozuka."

"That is unacceptable."

"Why?" Her agitation was growing.

He returned her intense gaze, studying her as well and wound up smirking, "For the mutual benefit of several parties."

"What does that mean?"

This one would certainly keep him on his toes. The fact that she showed up just to interrogate him was proof of that. "Simple. He is in love with one of my closest friends, and she with him. She has not always had the easiest life and she deserves all the happiness life has to offer. I've never seen him react to anyone the way he does her; ergo, they belong together. Since I am in need of a wife, the timing was perfect."

"But…why? Most people wouldn't do that. Wasn't she placed in an arranged marriage?"

"You will undoubtedly meet Haruhi soon, at which time you will discover she is a commoner. Although, I that isn't exactly true any longer since she did marry Hikaru Hitachiin. Then again, they are divorced now."

"That Haruhi?"

"It seems you have heard rumors."

"She married him for money and had an affair."

"Untrue."

"But…"

Pushing up his glasses, Kyoya's lenses caught the light and he repeated, "Untrue. While they did not have a happy marriage, vicious rumors are merely rumors and baseless lies. Before you pass judgement, why don't you meet her first? I assure you, just as she did my friends and me, she will endear herself to you."

"But…"

"When you were in elementary school, a rumor went around that you ate worms. Was it true?"

"No!"

"Then why do you believe everything you hear about Haruhi without even knowing her?"

Logic. He had beat her with simple logic and normally, she was smarter than that. Lifting her chin high, she agreed, "You're right." Now, she was curious about this girl who had stolen her fiancé and had captured the heart of not one, but two elites. Or was it more? He had said that she endeared herself to his friends.

Kyoya turned to the door when a soft knock sounded and found Kaoru on the other side. Turning to his fiancée, he asked, "Is there anything else?"

"Uh…no, Ootori-san."

"Call me Kyoya. If you will excuse me, I need to talk to my friend. I will arrange dinner plans so that we can meet with Haruhi and Yasuchika this week. Good day." Together with Kaoru, they returned to Hikaru. Other than Haruhi, no other woman outright questioned him, not even Renge. It felt good.

"Who was that?" Kaoru asked before they got to his brother's room.

"My fiancée."

"Fiancée? Did I miss something?"

A smile lifted the corners of Kyoya's mouth, "I'll explain later, but yes, I am currently engaged." The smile left and his face became unreadable, "Hikaru is still not himself. Do not let anything he says get to you. He will probably beg and plead and tell you that he is suffering. We have him as comfortable as possible."

"When will he be able to go home?"

"We will have to address that later, however, I do not think it is healthy for him to be around your parents."

"What do his doctors think?"

"We all agree."

"Me too," Kaoru whispered softly. Straightening his shoulders, he prepared himself for the visit and when he was ready, he pushed the door open.

Kyoya wasn't sure how Kaoru managed to take care of himself, business, and coming to the hospital, but he did it every day; and whether he knew it or not, he had people standing behind him to support him. Hikaru would eventually get better and would be able to go home, but until then, the Host Club would support Kaoru and make sure he did not crumble under the weight of the world as his brother had.


	25. Hikaru's Truth

**A/N: I hope everyone had a great summer. I've had an eventful one and have yet to make it home to St. Louis. LOL. I did have my very first book signing though and have another one planned in Sept. I also finished my new novel and it will be released on 9/8. Exposed. I got a new editor and it was a bear to fix. But enough about all of that. This story is not finished and we still have a few chapters to go. I don't like to leave things hanging and as it is right now, I have holes the size of the Grand Canyon. Enjoy the new chapter!**

Chapter 25 – Hikaru's Truth

His brother hated him. There was no other reason why Kaoru would believe Kyoya over his own twin. Hikaru and Kaoru had been together since the womb, never once had they turned on each other…until now.

When Kyoya had returned with his younger brother, Hikaru tried to convince Kaoru that it would be best if he was released from Kyoya's care, but like Kyoya predicted, Kaoru would not cave. Hikaru was stuck until he was done with detox, or whatever the fuck was going on with him.

Detox? How the hell was this considered withdrawal if he felt like utter shit? Yes, he knew he had brought this upon himself. Yes, he understood that he had lied and gained everyone's mistrust, but did that mistrust mean that he had to live a tortured existence until his brother or Kyoya deemed him healthy enough to leave? He supposed so…unless he could manage to find a means of escape, which there were none. Kyoya thought of everything. No one entered his room without Kyoya or his brother present. Not even the cleaning crew. He had no means of escape, and therefore, he remained stuck in the hospital.

A stay he loathed and dreaded.

The times he found himself alone were too long and far too many. He feared those times. His demons would come to visit him…to torment him. And he could not escape them. Sometimes he would hear their voices, whispering in his ear to remind him how much he wanted another drink. And sometimes, they would remind him of the smell, the taste, and the abyss that awaited him in the glass of amber liquid.

He wanted that, and yet, he didn't want it at the same time.

Would Kaoru visit today? When his brother refused to allow him to leave, he threw a bedpan at his brother's head out of fear and anger. Hikaru hadn't been thinking clearly, but that didn't excuse his behavior.

Not even his behavior with Haruhi could be completely excused. He had done her wrong, and in the interim, he had wronged his friends. The people that cared about him not because he had paid them to like him – as his parents used to do when he and Kaoru were children – but because they truly cared about him and his wellbeing. And what had he essentially done? Spat in their faces and laughed the whole time

He hadn't seen Kaoru in almost 48 hours. Would he see him today? He really wanted to see his brother. Hikaru needed to know that he had not lost his brother too. Could he mend the hurt and brokenness he caused? He had to try. Anyone could leave him and he would heal, but not his brother. Not Kaoru.

The sound of the door opening, drew Hikaru's attention towards it. Expecting to see Kyoya, his jaw dropped open when he spotted the last person he ever thought he would see in his room alone. "What do you want, Haruhi?"

"I had a doctor appointment and I thought we could talk. Kyoya said it would be fine if I came in for a few minutes; however, he did warn me that I may want to be sure my 'ducking' skills were perfected before I came in. Have any idea what that's about?" she responded. Her mouth was set in a tight smile, which told Hikaru she was trying to make light of the situation, but was terrified of being in the same room with him.

'Throw one bedpan and they label you for life."

"Damn them," she snickered.

"They can all jump off a bridge," he chuckled. As much as he wanted to kill someone only moments ago, this felt good. And it felt amazing to temporarily get his mind off of other things "What did you want?"

Her lips pulled further upwards into a real smile. "I just wanted to check on you."

"Here I am. A monkey still in his cage."

"You are not a monkey, nor are you in a cage." Her eyes flittered to the windows and noticed the lack of ability to open them more than two inches. "Not much of one at least. Damn rich bastards."

No, there wouldn't be bars on the windows. That would be beneath a member of elite society. But that did not mean he was not a prisoner against his will; and he didn't care if this was what was best for him. "You could have fooled me." Leveling his gaze on her, he asked, "What are my legal rights as a patient?"

She narrowed her eyes, "You aren't getting out of here. If I have to press charges against you to keep you here I will."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me!" Her voice raised in volume and octave. Clearing her throat, she noticed how gob smacked his expression appeared and shook her head. In a calmer tone of voice, Haruhi told him, "Hikaru, you need help. I don't know everything that is going on with you, but I do know that. If you don't get it, I'm afraid we're going to lose you." She dropped into the chair next to his bed with a _thud._

Hikaru stared at her for a moment before he sneered, "What the fuck are you doing here anyway? Loverboy know you're here?"

"Chika knows. He didn't want me to come, but he wouldn't stop me. I just wanted to talk to you. I know this isn't–"

"You don't know anything!"

Nodding, tears pooled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "You're right. I don't know what you have been through, what is going through that fool head of yours, or what made you turn to drinking because you never talked to me about any of it. You just started to invite Kaoru over and then invited him into our bed! You're right! I don't know anything! I don't understand anything! Maybe if really would have done everything that you said I did, maybe you would have confided in me, but then again, we both know I could never bring myself to do that to you." He flinched and she sighed, sinking into her chair further. "I wish it wouldn't have come to this, and I wish you would have gotten help or turned to someone even if it wasn't me, but you didn't. You need help, and I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you get it…not only for your sake, but for your brother and friends. You can hate me all you want. I don't care right now, but you will get help."

"Anything else?" he snapped.

"Yeah, one more thing. I still love you and I want to see you better. And I forgive you for everything that happened. I hope you can forgive my part in it all." She stood up and walked out the door, missing his next whispered words.

"There's nothing to forgive because it wasn't your fault."

The next person that entered about an hour later, was the one person Hikaru had decided was a true enemy of the state: Kyoya. "What do you want now? To put me on the rack? Draw and quarter me? The iron maiden?"

"In high school that dramatic nature of yours served you well, but here, it won't get you very far. That said, I suppose the fact that your old self is starting to make an appearance could be considered a good thing," Kyoya remarked.

"Haruhi came."

"I am well aware of everyone that comes and goes through that door." Kyoya pushed his glasses up and opened his black notebook, his pen held at the ready.

Without looking at his friend, Hikaru told him, "She said she forgives me."

"She has always been the bigger person when it came to the Host Club."

"She wanted me to forgive her for her part."

"And?"

"There's nothing to forgive."

"Why did you do those things to her?"

"I don't know."

"Hikaru–"

"I'm serious, Kyoya. I don't know. She was there and I knew she wouldn't leave, so I used her to express my aggression and anxiety."

"And?"

Hikaru still couldn't look at his friend as he continued. He wasn't sure his tongue all of the saddened decided to spill everything, but he couldn't stop the floodgates once they opened. "From the moment my parents found out about Haruhi, they have been pressuring me to pursue her. I knew it was hard on Kaoru because he had feelings for her too, but if push came to shove, he would back down. Plus, our parents told him to leave Haruhi alone. When I was in my second year, I messed up and got a girl pregnant."

"I am well aware of that."

His head whipping around, large amber eyes settled on Kyoya. Hikaru shook his head. If anyone managed to find out it would be Kyoya. With a derisive snort, he said, "Figures."

"Please continue."

Hikaru's gaze returned to the window, "My parents were afraid that she would mess up my life since her family had recently been shunned by high society due to a huge scandal with her father and mother. So, they paid the family off and they left Japan. I never heard from them again. I suppose I could have looked for her, but I felt…relieved to have the problem taken care of. There was also the fact that Kaoru and I shared her one night. She actually told my parents about everything. When she left, I didn't feel sad or angry, I felt relieved. I don't even know if I have a son or daughter, and up until now, I didn't care."

"A son."

"Excuse me?"

"You have a son. The girl is married though and he adopted the child as his own."

Tears burned and spilled over. Hikaru's body shook with sobs as he cried, "Good. Good. They deserved to have someone that would take care of them."

Pushing up his glasses again, Kyoya spoke, "After she got married they had two more children and are now living in Canada."

"Honestly, I didn't want Haruhi to have a baby. I was terrified of having a baby. And my parents were pressuring us to get pregnant, just like they pressured us to get married. They tried to pressure me to force Haruhi to quit law, but it was the one thing I couldn't do."

"So you took everything out on her?"

"Yes."

"In the hopes she would leave?"

Hikaru's head dropped to his chest as the tears continued to spill out of his eyes. "Yes."

"Why? Afterwards, you treated her like–"

"Total crap. I know I did. She didn't deserve it, but I didn't want there to be any possible way that my parents would use her ever again."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Why?" Kyoya pressed. He had a feeling there was more to all of this than Hikaru was saying.

"Just because."

"Hikaru, why?"

"BECAUSE! Because they were going to try to convince her to be with me and Kaoru. Because one of their friends mentioned that they thought Haruhi was lovely and they wanted me to convince her to sleep with him as part of a business arrangement. Because I knew deep down, she wasn't for me."

"Hikaru…" The Shadow King didn't know what to say about this revelation.

"I always noticed the way Yasuchika looked at her, and how she returned his gazes. I was always jealous how they could always open up and talk to each other, but she didn't have the same relationship with me. And I still forced her into marrying me because my parents wanted me to marry Haruhi and no one else. They threatened to disown me if I didn't marry her. And after I did, they acted like she was a Hitachiin possession available to do their bidding whenever they felt like using her."

Kyoya softly shut his black book.

"Kyoya, can you please leave me alone."

"Of course."

If what Hikaru said was true, and Kyoya had a bad feeling that it was, then the Hitachiin parents were worse than Kyoya initially believed. This was a precarious situation to say the least. They had to move cautiously, and it was high time he looked more closely at Mr. and Mrs. Hitachiin again. They would not get away with their crimes against Haruhi or their own children. The Shadow King would see to that.

 **A/N2: I promise, more Chika/Haruhi next chapter!**


	26. True to Form

**A/N:** **I'm back…again. I'm not going to promise I won't disappear again because just when I think life had settled down, something happens. This year has been crazy between publishing my second book and things going on in my family and life that were unexpected. What I will promise, is that I won't leave stories unfinished.** **I know I said more Haruhi and Chika this chapter, but when I got to the end, it felt like it needed to end there. I am already typing up the next chapter and it is all Haruhi and Chika because I think after this, we need a little fluff and sexy.**

 **I've also put a poll on my profile page for this year's Christmas story. You pick the pairing. As crazy as things are right now, I didn't want to break tradition. I always look forward to giving you the annual holiday story. Go and vote. For those of you who do not have an account, you can still vote. I allow guest reviews on all of my stories. Put your vote in the review and I'll count it.** **You can vote through Dec 15. Last I checked, Mori was in the lead.**

Chapter 26 – True to Form

Kyoya thought about Hikaru's confession, and still didn't know how to handle it at all. True, he was the Shadow King and could normally torture his enemies, bringing them down without batting an eye, but this was different. It wasn't that the Hitachiin family was one of the most powerful in Japan—that mattered not to Kyoya—what mattered is, bringing this into the light, even amongst a small group of people, could damage more than just the Hitachiin name.

There were other things to consider as well. What did Kaoru know? What about Haruhi? And who was the man who wanted Haruhi in his bed? The man who the Hitchiin's were willing to sell her to? Because no matter how Kyoya looked at it, they had tried to prostitute their own daughter-in-law.

If (When) Kyoya did anything, he wanted to be sure to include all of the players. No one was safe.

After sitting in his office at the hospital for a few hours, he finally had a plan…or at least the bones of a plan. But first, he needed more information. Picking up the phone, he dialed and waited until the over enthusiastic voice on the other end settled down before he spoke, "Tamaki, call the others. We need to have a family meeting. Your place in one hour." While he could call everyone himself, sometimes it was easier to make Tamaki do menial tasks for him.

"Mommy!" Tamaki gasped. "Do you mean it?"

"Excuse me? When do I ever not 'mean' it? Your apartment in one hour. Everyone needs to come. I want Yasuchicka and Satoshi there as well."

"Mommy, Hikaru can't—"

Kyoya pinched the bridge of his nose and prayed for patience. "I didn't mean Hikaru. He is still detoxing. Your job is to get everyone else to your place."

"Why mine?"

"Why not? Are you hiding dead bodies?"

"No, but…"

"But?" Kyoya pressed when his blond friend didn't continue.

"Well, I gave the maids a week off thinking I could take care of everything myself…like Haruhi does."

Tamaki didn't have to continue. The Shadow King could picture the scene very well. "Ask Mori or Hunny if we can use their family dojo. It might be better there anyway."

"Why?"

"So that when Yasuchika hears what I have to say, he doesn't tear up anyone's living quarters."

There was a brief silence and then Tamaki asked in a soft but serious voice, "What happened?"

"Just gather the troops. I do believe we are about to go to war."

"Kyoya?" the blond pressed after a moment of hesitation.

"Yes?"

"Is it bad?"

"Worse than we've ever seen or heard," Kyoya allowed before hanging up on his friend. There were times he wondered why he was still friends with Tamaki, why their friendship even took root, but then there were those moments when he was reminded that Tamaki made him human and brought him out of the monotony that had been his life.

An hour later, the hosts were gathered in the Haninozuka family dojo waiting on the person who called the meeting. Kyoya was running later. He never ran late.

"Tamaki, are you sure Kyoya called this meeting?" Haruhi questioned her blond friend.

"Daughter, why would you question daddy?"

"Because you aren't my father and because Kyoya is almost fifteen minutes late," Haruhi deadpanned.

"I apologize for my tardiness, but it could not be helped," Kyoya stated as he removed his shoes before entering the dojo.

Standing next to Chika, Haruhi asked, "What's this about, Kyoya?"

The Shadow King pushed his glasses upwards on his nose and focused his attention on Kaoru. "Before I get into the reason I called this meeting, I'd like to know exactly what you knew about the marriage as well as Haruhi and Hikaru's relationship. More importantly, I need to know what you know about your parents' involvement."

Frowning in confusion, Kaoru answered, "Nothing. I know that Haruhi and Hikaru were having problems, but I didn't know to what extent except what Hikaru told me—and we know that wasn't exactly the truth. My parents were putting pressure on him for an heir and to force Haruhi to quit practicing law, but that's about all I know. Why? What's this about?"

With one slight nod, Kyoya answered, "It would seem that the story is much more convoluted than we initially thought."

"What did Hika-Chan say?" Hunny asked, the timbre of his voice deepening with either irritation or curiousness.

Kyoya never removed his eyes from Kaoru. He needed to see the younger man's reaction, to judge for himself what Kaoru actually knew. "The Hitachiin family viewed Haruhi as more of a personal possession than a person."

"I thought we already knew that," Chika snapped, the anger within him growing at that reminder.

"Yes, but not to what extent."

"What do you mean, mommy?" Tamaki questioned, his posture and tone spoke of his seriousness.

His eyes remained fixed on Kaoru, and so far, there had been no change, only confusion. "They tried to get Hikaru to…lend Haruhi to Kaoru and then to a business partner to seal a deal when the man showed a keen interest in Haruhi."

"Wh-what?" Haruhi asked, feeling sick at the thought. She hadn't known, hadn't heard.

Kaoru started to shake his head, the frown intensifying, "No…no, they wouldn't do something like that. I mean they were a little overbearing and…" His words tapered off and he stopped speaking. Could his parents have done something like that? Was it possible that his parents would have done anything and everything to close a deal, even if it meant selling Haruhi to the devil himself? "Are you sure?" his voice sounded strangled and was barely above a whisper.

"I am," Kyoya confirmed.

"How? Did Hikaru tell you that? You said he couldn't be trusted."

"I did, and yes, he is where I got my information, however, I was able to confirm it."

"How?" Kaoru's head was spinning. His parents had done this? Why did it surprise him? They had driven their own son to drink and then didn't care if he drank himself to death.

"Quite simple really. When it comes to security, your parents are good, but not quite as good as me. I hacked their emails. They were stupid enough to believe that deleting the conversations would make them go away…they didn't. They did agree to that with the potential business partner, however, when Hikaru refused to close the deal, they lost the contract and I would assume that is when they started to put more pressure on Hikaru."

"Whe…ahem…When was that?" Haruhi asked.

"Three months into your marriage," Kyoya replied, pushing his glasses up once again.

Chika could see how much this conversation was affecting her and pulled her closer into his side. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, "If this is too much, let me know. I'll take you home. You don't have to stay if you don't want to." His only concern was Haruhi, to hell with the others. As it was, if he wasn't focused on her, he would probably be storming the Hitachiin manor right now.

"I'm okay," she spoke softly. Clearing her throat, she told the room, "That's when things started to get really bad and when I started to see injuries that I know I hadn't caused."

Nodding, Kyoya had to admit he was impressed with Chika. While the younger man appeared ready to kill, he had not lost his temper and was doing what he could to comfort Haruhi. He had come a long way, and Kyoya hadn't been sure if it was possible. "That was going to be my next question, if you had noticed a change in Hikaru about that time." His attention moved back to Kaoru, "You didn't know that your parents were asking Hikaru to share Haruhi with you?"

Kaoru shook his head. "No. I didn't know anything of the sort. Why would they believe I would ever go along with that?"

"I cannot answer that. I do not have proof other than Hikaru's word on that, but since the other part of his confession turned out to be true, I have reason to believe this part is as well."

"You already believed him," Mori announced. He had been standing back listening to the whole exchange, and while it angered him to hear what the Hitachiin family planned to do with Haruhi, he also knew that Kyoya wouldn't have called them together just to make this announcement.

"I did. He is still going through detox, but confessing such a thing would not have helped or hurt his situation. That said, before we can confront the heads of the Hitachiin family, we needed proof. Without it, they could have claimed their son was a mentally disturbed man and had him committed for an ungodly amount of time. Since they left of their own accord, we never petitioned the courts to give Kaoru guardianship."

A thick dark cloud started to fill the dojo making it harder to see. "What's your plan Kyo-Chan," Hunny snarled.

"That would depend."

"On what?" The shorter man snapped, bouncing on his feet ready to leap into the air and take down his enemy.

Kyoya thought meeting in one of the dojos would have been beneficial for Chika's temper, he didn't think it would be Hunny that would be on the verge of losing control. Raising an eyebrow, he made a mental note and said, "That would depend on Kaoru."

"Me?" Kaoru asked confused. "Why me?"

"You are still their son, still part of the family. How do you feel about this situation?"

"I don't know why that would matter to you. It hasn't really mattered before, but if you must know, they need to learn that they can't use people however they see fit. Hikaru will get better without them. I want him to be the head of the family. I want my sister to be protected and taken care of. That's all I care about. As for my grandmother and parents, do what you will."

"Then I believe they need to be given another ultimatum. If we create a scandal, it would ruin the family and the business, as well as ruin your sister's chances of finding a future husband."

"What do you propose?"

"Relinquishing power."

Kaoru snorted mirthlessly, "Good luck with that. My mother's family was more powerful than my father's that when they married, he took the Hitachiin name."

"I am well aware of what power she believes she possesses. Were you aware that one of the reasons they have been putting so much pressure on your brother, why they were desperate to make the deal and include Haruhi as part of the price, is because your family is quickly losing its fortune?"

Shaking his head in disbelief, the red-head said, "No, we're not. We have more money than when I was a kid."

"While that was true for a time, your family has lost nearly half of its fortune in the last five years."

"If that's true, then why not make Hikaru marry an heiress."

"They believed they had. Haruhi's mother was no mere commoner. She went to Lobelia and came from a wealthy family. Your parents thought Haruhi's living relatives would front a small fortune for her."

"Why would they believe that?" Haruhi snorted with derision. "When my mom's family disowned her, it was for good."

Kyoya nodded, "Very true, however, one of your cousins—the current head of the family—led them to believe that he would supply you with a dowry. He didn't. In fact, he only said that because he was afraid that you would try to come after the family fortune, but if you were married off, he believed his problem would be taken care of. You would become your husband's problem, and subsequently, his family problem."

"So they pressured us into getting married to get money they needed, and then when they didn't get it, I became a leech?"

"That is putting it crudely. Since nothing was in writing, nothing could be proven."

"How do you know?" Kaoru inquired. His mind was spinning with all of this information.

"I found recordings that had been saved. Your parents were smart enough to record the conversations, however, since they did not actually speak to the head of the house about the dowry, it could be said that the person they spoke with had no authority to make any kind of promises."

"How do you know my cousin was involved?" Haruhi asked. She plopped down onto the mat to sit down. She needed to try and get her bearings, but with each new piece of information, she felt more and more like she was in the middle of the sea during a storm without a life preserver.

Clearing his throat, Kyoya said, "The very first recording is of him saying they might be able to work something out and that someone would be in touch. Since he used the word might—"

Haruhi interrupted, "It is not an actual promise and therefore doesn't constitute a deal. Then again, a verbal agreement is shaky in the court of law and if you want to have any leg to stand on, it is best to have everything in writing."

"Correct, which that is something the Hitachiin family did not do. They were so worried about the money, they didn't care they were grasping at straws until the deal fell through."

"And that's why you were late today."

"Correct."

"What now, Kyoya?" Kaoru asked.

Smirking, Kyoya stated, "Now, we make sure they no longer have a leg to stand on."

"Just because you tell them to turn over the business, doesn't mean they will."

"I am well aware of that, which is why I'm not asking them to do anything. I'm forcing them out."

Everyone in the room got chills from Kyoya's icy gaze. They still weren't sure of what he planned to do, but whatever it was, in true Shadow King form, he would win exactly what he wanted.


	27. A Need So Great

**A/N: Here is the fluff chapter I promised. I'm keeping the poll open through tonight and will tally the results in the morning. So far Mori is ahead with Satoshi in second. Chika and Nekozawa are tied for third. The poll is on my author page. If you do not have a Fanfiction account, you can still vote. I count votes in the reviews for guest reviewers. Enjoy the new chapter.**

Chapter 27 – A Need So Great

"Haruhi, the first thing I need you to do is to petition the courts to have guardianship of both Hikaru and Ageha moved to Kaoru," Kyoya ordered.

Frowning, Kaoru asked, "Why? You said they left of their own accord."

"That would be correct, but circumstances have changed. I want to be sure they cannot use your brother or sister as a bargaining chip. This will secure their safety, as well as give us the upper hand when it comes to your parents and grandmother."

"I just…" Kaoru's voice tapered off. He felt like he was adrift in the ocean and floundering, on the verge of drowning. Everything was happening so quickly, and it seemed as if every time Kyoya dug a little, he found another grave. His head was spinning from this latest information, and while he wanted to protect his siblings, he had to wonder if this was the best way to go about it.

Seeing her friend's distress, Haruhi stepped away from Chika and walked up to Kaoru, wrapping an arm around him. Standing on her tiptoes, she whispered, "It will all be all right. We're here for you." It seemed so surreal that she was standing in the same room as Kaoru and comforting him. She was comforting him. Kaoru, the same person who had snubbed her and wished she would have disappeared. So much had changed in such a sort amount of time. Aloud she said, "Kyoya, maybe we should take a break and reconvene tomorrow at my place." Lifting one of her brows, she smirked, "I think everyone here can behave like adults. Don't you agree?"

Kyoya should have known that if anyone would have seen through his plan and called him on it (with the exception on Tamaki since he had told his blond friend his reasoning), it would be the Host Club Princess. Pushing up his glasses, he nodded with his own smirk firmly plastered on his lips. "I would agree. Very well. We will reconvene tomorrow morning at 10 A.M. at Haruhi's apartment. Please do not be late."

"We weren't the ones late today," Kaoru snickered with a sniffle. He was on the verge of losing it, but he could still find the humor in the situation. Maybe it wasn't as bad as it initially seemed. Then again, he just found out that his family wanted to prostitute Haruhi, his family fortune was dwindling, and his parents cared more about that than their own children. Maybe it was worse.

"That is true, but given the number you, Haruhi, and Tamaki have been tardy throughout our association, and given the fact I was researching information, I do believe I have earned a…pass."

The auburn haired young twin gulped hard and loud. "I think you might be right, Kyoya."

"Everyone please remember to meet at Haruhi's apartment tomorrow morning at 10 A.M. and do not be late. We will discuss exactly what we need to do in order to gain control over this situation."

"As if you already don't have a handle on it," Haruhi mumbled under her breath.

"Be that as it may, Haruhi, there are some things I cannot do myself…such as file paperwork with the court. I am not a lawyer," Kyoya stated, his smirk firmly in place.

Her eyes widening slightly, she said, "You're right."

"Of course I am. Now, if you will excuse me, I do have other work that needs to be done. I'll see you all in the morning," the Shadow King announced before he slid his shoes back on and walked out of the building.

After he was gone, Haruhi felt Kaoru slump ever so slightly. "You okay?"

"Not sure," he answered. So much had happened and he couldn't see the end of the roller coaster ride yet. Was he okay? He couldn't honestly answer that. The only thing keeping him sane right now was the fact he had his friends supporting him…all of his friends, including Haruhi. He'd missed her and her friendship. They still had a ways to go before they were all right, but they at least had started to mend the relationship.

"We're here for you, Kao-Chan," Hunny exclaimed. If he had anything to do with it, no one would suffer again.

"He's right," Mori asserted.

"As long as you don't help your parents or agree with them," Chika snidely stated and received an elbow in the stomach from Haruhi. "What was that for?"

"Don't be an ass," she hissed.

"It's okay. He has the right to say that after everything that's happened." Focusing on Chika, who was now standing on the other side of Haruhi, Kaoru promised, "I don't agree with them at all. They are wrong for what they've done and have tried to do."

"Don't worry Chika-Chan, no one is going to hurt Haru-Chan again," Hunny smiled almost evilly.

"That's right! We'll be there to protect her," Satoshi spoke up.

The voice of support were then drowned out by someone crying. Not just crying, but the person was wailing. All eyes turned to Tamaki.

"What's wrong, Tamaki?" Haruhi asked, bracing herself for the glomp she knew was coming, however, the moment the blond tried to wrap his arms around her, she found herself shoved behind her boyfriend. "Chika?"

"He doesn't need to squeeze you to death like you're his personal teddy bear. He has Kuma for that," Chika growled.

"Yasuchika," Tamaki began. "You cannot keep us apart. We're family and—"

"And that doesn't mean you need to squish her."

Rolling her eyes, Haruhi stepped to the side of her boyfriend and asked, "Why are you crying, Tamaki?"

"I'm happy. Our family is back together."

A smile lit up her face. "It is."

Later, after she gave Tamaki a hug, after Tamaki had been pried off of her, and after they shared a meal with the others, Haruhi and Chika walked into her small apartment tired and yet content.

It was hard to believe how things had changed since the night of Hunny's wedding. She no longer felt alone or afraid. She had her friends, and she had Chika on her side. How had she let herself fall for the lies that she loved Hikaru? She loved him…as a friend, but she had convinced herself it was so much more than it was. If it hadn't been for the interference of certain people, both she and Chika would have missed this opportunity at love. And that would have been a travesty.

"What are you thinking about so intently?" Chika asked ask he pulled her towards the couch. They'd had a long day and he only wanted to relax with Haruhi in his arms.

"Just thinking about life," she smiled as she fell on the couch beside him.

"What about it?"

Resting her head on his shoulder, she told him, "I was thinking about how much has changed in my life since your brother's wedding. And about how we almost missed our chance."

"But we didn't."

"No, we didn't."

"Sometimes you only have a moment to act. Like in karate. You have to read the signs, be aware of everything going on around you, and act, but if you act too soon, you'll mess up and your opponent will find an opening. If you attack too late, your opponent will attack first. You have to find the perfect moment between those two so that you will be victorious."

She snickered, "You sound like Mori."

Rubbing his chin on top of her head, he chuckled, "That's what happens when you grow up together."

"So you think this was our perfect moment?"

He kissed the crown of her head before answering, "I do. I had family commitments, you were attached. I also don't think we would appreciate what we have right now if we had acted sooner. Plus, I think we were still discovering what we wanted and who we were."

"Hunny's wedding was the ideal time?" She smiled broadly and giggled.

"Probably not the most ideal situation, but the perfect time," he told her in all seriousness, but his own smile lifted the corners of his lips.

Tilting her head up so that she could look into his face, she whispered, "I have to agree. I love you, Chika."

"I love you too, Haruhi." With that he bent his head down to capture her lips in a kiss. What started out as a sweet slow kiss, soon ignited into something much more passionate. Groaning, he lifted his hands and held her face as he plunged his tongue into her expectant mouth. He had only planned to hold her tonight, but he didn't think that would be enough for him now. Pulling back slightly, his hot breath ghosted over her face as he panted. This woman, and only this woman, had the power to make him burn with one simple touch. "Haruhi…" her name came out as a moan which sounded almost painful.

"Me too." She turned her head slightly and engulfed his thumb with her mouth, sucking and biting it. She needed him.

Nothing else was said. They helped each other undress, and then sitting back on her couch, he lifted her over him, waited for her to align her pussy with his cock, and then watched as she sank lower and lower, sheathing his dick in her heat and wetness.

Haruhi threw her head back in pleasure, feeling every inch of Chika's length and girth. He always filled her to capacity, but in this position, she felt fuller…and she loved it. She ached for him and no one else.

When she had taken all of him in, she sat there for a moment unmoving to savor the pleasure, believing that she could probably come just like that, but the urge to move was too great. She wanted to feel him moving inside her, rubbing that spot that always made her explode. Placing her hands on his shoulders for balance, twisted her lips and moaned before lifting herself off of him so that only the tip of his dick remained inside. Then she slowly sank down on his length once again. Twist, slowly moving up, slowly moving down. She set the pace and she watched as desire filled his eyes and Chika was pushed to the edge of losing control.

He allowed her to do what she wanted, but she was moving too slowly for him; and he also knew, this was her plan. She wanted him to lose control…and he did. Grabbing her hips hard enough that he knew he would probably leave small bruises, he thrust up into her. It was his turn to move.

Pulling his cock out of her, he flipped her onto her back on the couch cushions next to him, threw her legs onto his shoulders, and drove into her hard and fast. Later he would take her sweetly, slowly, but right now, he needed to mark her, to know that she was his. After everything that had been revealed today, after the kiss fanned the flame, he needed to own her.

He pounded into her without mercy and instead of fighting him, she encouraged him to fuck her faster, harder. Reaching behind him, she dug her finger nails into his back as she moaned. This felt like heaven to her. She craved this…she craved him, and she didn't care if she felt this fuck tomorrow or days from now.

Closer and closer she crept towards her climax, and then she was thrown over the edge and screamed his name.

Chika tried to hold on, but feeling her pussy clenching around him, he couldn't hold back. Groaning, his whole body tightened up, and he spilled himself inside of her heat. This…her…them together was perfection to him, and he would never give her up for anything.

Falling onto him, Haruhi couldn't catch her breath, and she wasn't sure she wanted to. A smile on her face, she turned her lips towards his neck and kissed the erratic beat there, closed her eyes, and fell asleep. She was home.


	28. A Blow to Their Ego

**A/N: What is going to happen with the Hitachiin family? Will Kaoru go through with seeking guardianship? What about everyone else? Thanks again to Tmwillson3 and CrazyKitCat for everything.**

Chapter 28 – A Blow to Their Ego

Standing in front of the judge should have been easy, but it wasn't. Kaoru shouldn't have felt guilty for what he was about to do, but he did. He was anxious, nervous, sick to his stomach, and terrified of what the judge would say…how his parents would react. For as horrible as they've treated Hikaru and Haruhi, even given the sins they've committed, they were still his family, the family he's been with his whole life.

"What is the reason behind your petition?" the judge questioned.

 _'He has the file, why the hell is he asking me anything?'_ Kaoru thought to himself. He shuffled his feet nervously and glanced to his left at Haruhi standing beside him, then looked over his shoulder to his friends supporting him from the audience. Clearing his throat and turning to face the judge once again, he finally answered, "I need to protect my brother and sister to ensure they do not come to harm."

"You do realize that this is out of the ordinary?"

Haruhi addressed the judge, "We do, Your Honor. However, if you will review the file you were given, you will see that due to the actions of my client's parents, we believe both his brother and sister are at risk. They have willfully tried to cause harm to not only their eldest son, but others as well. With Hikaru Hitachiin in the hospital, guardianship needs to move to his younger brother Kaoru Hitachiin in order to protect him from any further actions by them. In addition, based on the sworn statement by my client, they purposely let Hikaru be put in harm's way knowing the consequences. If they remain in charge of Ageha and Hikaru, there is no telling what could happen to either of them."

The judge flipped through the file as he had done several times before that morning. "Hikaru Hitachiin is of age."

"That is correct, Your Honor, but as you can see, he is currently in the hospital and undergoing treatment. His parents have already tried to remove him once."

"I see." _Flip. Flip. Flip._ "And I see that you have sworn statements from Kyoya Ootori. Yoshio Ootori, Yuuichi Ootori, and Kazuki Ogadera."

"Hai! Ogadera Sensei is Hikaru's psychiatrist."

"I am well aware of who Ogadera Sensei is, and I know of his reputation."

"All believe that Hikaru would be better suited if Kaoru were in charge of his care?"

"Hai!"

Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, Kyoya stood up from his seat directly behind Kaoru. "Your Honor, we believe it is in the best interest of the patient to be separated from his parents for now. They have threatened to remove him from the premises, have admitted that they would allow him to continue on his current path of destruction, and could put their daughter in danger as well. They could not even be bothered to show up this morning."

As the Shadow King made this announcement, the doors to the courtroom opened up and Kaoru's parents and grandmother stormed into the courtroom. Yuzuha stomped over to Kaoru, and before he could react, attempted to slap him. The only thing that stopped her was Hunny had grabbed her arm, instinctively knowing what she wanted to do.

Sputtering, Yuzuha ripped her arm away from Hunny and sputtered, "How dare you? You are actually going through with this. I understand you're distraught over your brother, but this is taking things too far."

"Silence!" the judge yelled. When all eyes had settled on him, he narrowed his and studied the new comers. "Why are you barging in during a hearing?"

"We have a right to be here!" Kazuha snapped.

"Yes, you do, but as you were probably informed of the time of the hearing, I'd like to know why you are arriving an hour late."

"This is a farce!" Yuzuha bellowed.

"A farce?" The judge lifted one of his eyebrows and waited for the twins' mother to continue.

"Yes! Hikaru is my son and as such, we will decide what is best for him. You have no say in my family, or do you not know who we are?"

"I'm well aware of you and your family's reputation. I'm also aware of the grievances against you. What do you have to say for yourself? Why should I allow your children to remain in your care?"

"Because this is a family matter and I am their mother! I have done nothing that others wouldn't do in my shoes. This doesn't concern the courts."

The judge shifted his gaze from Yuzuha to Kaoru, and then to Kyoya. "Ootori-Sama, your father and brother are in agreement with you and Ogadera-Sensei?"

"They are," Kyoya stated matter of factly.

Nodding, he judge smiled…smirked really. "After reviewing the petition before me and after hearing testimony from various witnesses, it is the ruling of this court that emergency guardianship of Ageha and Hikaru Hitachiin will be granted to Kaoru Hitachiin. Furthermore, it is the belief of this court that the parents and grandmother of Hikaru and Ageha are a danger to their children and until a more thorough investigation can be made, they are to have limited visitation and should not remain unsupervised." He leaned forward and gave a pointed look at Yuzuha, Kazuha, and Mr. Hitachiin. "If it is found that you purposely put your children and others in danger, I will see to it personally that you are punished. I know very well who you are and who your family is, but that does not give you the right to interrupt my courtroom and make demands upon me or anyone else." He slammed his gavel down with more force than necessary and got up to leave the courtroom.

Once he left, Kaoru's friends—with the exception of Haruhi since she was behind him—surrounded him, barricading him and blocking any further attacks from his family.

It was Kyoya that spoke first, "If I were you, I'd make sure your travel documents are all in order."

"Is that a threat?" Yuzuha growled.

"No, it's a promise. I don't make idle threats." He pushed his glasses up once again and they caught the light, glinting as he smirked.

She swallowed hard. "I…We…We are not going to stand by and allow you to tear this family to pieces."

Kyoya chuckled. "I do believe you did that on your own when you tried to include sleeping with Haruhi as part of your business dealings. And we can't forget your plans for Kaoru. Or what about the fact that due to your mismanagement of the family business, your fortune and influence are decreasing rapidly? If anything, your children can restore the Hitachiin family reputation to what it was before, while you…" His words tapered off as he chuckled again. "Well, let's just say, you are finished."

"You have no proof!" Mr. Hitachiin snapped.

"Oh, but I do. You see, when you erase various things, something always gets left behind and forgotten. Voice recordings, emails, contracts…It's amazing what is just left lying around."

"You…you hacked us!"

"Hacked is a harsh word."

Kaoru defended his friend, "He didn't hack it because he had permission, from me."

"Kaoru!" His mother and father gasped at the same time.

"As Kyoya said, it is amazing what is left behind and what evidence can be found. I know the truth, and as long as I can, I will see to it that you are not able to do to Ageha what you did to Hikaru, and I will protect my brother from you!"

"You have no right!" Yuzuha cried out.

"I have every right! You tried to prostitute my friend. You tried to kill my brother!" Kaoru screamed. "I will not let you do anything else to the people that matter to me. I'm done sitting on the sidelines and watching you attack others. I'm through with you and your demands."

"You would choose them over your own family?" Mr. Hitachiin growled.

"Right now, they are more a family to me than you. If you do anything to Hikaru, to my friends, to my sister, everything I've found will be made public. I don't care what it does to the Hitachiin name."

Kazuha sneered, "You'll destroy yourself as well. Don't think this is over."

"I don't think, I know. But you shouldn't think for one second that we are done finding dirt on you. Until every stone is turned, until I know the full extent of your…activities, I will not stop," Kaoru threatened. He actually wasn't sure if there was anything further to find or if Kyoya was willing to help him search, but the threat sounded good to him, and right now, he just wanted to be sure his family would back off.

Haruhi spoke, "Legally, if you do anything that goes against the court ruling, it could harm your reputation and it will make for a very public spectacle. One top of that, it could potentially place all of you under arrest. Is that really something you want to contend with?" While it was true, she didn't believe for one second that these three were finished with the former Host Club…or their own children. Something in her gut told her everything was far from over.

"Don't threaten me you ingrate!" Yuzuha screeched.

"Mother, I do believe it's time you left," Kaoru ordered.

He watched as his father wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close with a glare sent to him. "Kaoru, we did not raise you to be like this. You need to remember who your family is and where your loyalties lie."

"I do. They are with my other family," he declared.

Mr. Hitachiin sucked in a breath and led his wife towards the door.

Once they were gone, the air felt less heavy, but this wasn't over with. No one in the elite circle would give up so easily. They had contacts, they were angry, and they were embarrassed. Those three things could make for a deadly combination. The former hosts had to remain on guard, but at least today was a small victory for their side.


End file.
